Theresa May’s Cabinet agreed to step up plans for a no-deal Brexit as the prime minister tries to convince members of Parliament to back her divorce agreement.
Key developments:
* Government tells businesses to prepare for the worst* Cabinet is still backing May’s plan, her spokesman says* EU rules out mini-deals to help cushion the blow
Cabinet spars over no-deal (2pm)
Justice Secretary David Gauke used unusually strong language to tell Brexiteer colleagues to stop trying sell the idea that a "managed no-deal" was an option. He said ministers’ job was "not to propagate unicorns but to slay them," according to a person familiar with the meeting.
One of the colleagues he was aiming at proposed at the meeting that the UK should try to buy a transition period from the EU, as a way of getting the grace period without accepting the less attractive parts of the deal, according to another person.
The EU has always said that without a divorce deal, there can be no transition.
Cabinet agrees to implement no-deal plans in full (1:40pm)
The Cabinet, which met for three hours, agreed to implement its no-deal plans "in full," with just three months to go until Brexit day, according to May’s spokesman James Slack.
There will be:
More information for citizens in coming weeks Tax office HMRC will issue guidance pack to businesses this week to enable preparation for border changes Money released for no-deal preparations "shortly." Of the 4 billion pounds that’s been set aside, 2 billion pounds will be released
The Cabinet also agreed that getting May’s deal passed was the priority. If there is no deal, legislation will be required, Slack says. That’s a chance for Parliament -- where the majority wants to avoid the cliff-edge scenario -- to block it.
Government ramps up no-deal Brexit planning (1:23 pm)
The Cabinet agreed to increase its planning for a no-deal Brexit with only three months to go before the UK leaves the bloc. The government is also telling businesses to do the same, Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay tells Sky News.
However, the priority remains to get May’s deal through Parliament, he said.