Boris Johnson’s government is to launch a major public information campaign to reassure Britons about a potential no-deal Brexit, in an effort to rebut the stark warnings in a leaked contingency planning paper.
Downing Street declined to comment on the leaked document about Operation Yellowhammer, its planning for a no-deal Brexit. But officials said the document was “out of date” and did not reflect the government’s state of preparedness.
Whitehall insiders said the media campaign, with a budget of £100m, would begin in the next couple of weeks to explain in a “user-friendly way” what individuals needed to do ahead of Brexit day on October 31. Unlike the technical notices published last year for businesses, the emphasis will be on consumers.
Those with knowledge of the preparations said the campaign would be run on TV, radio and social media. The government is working to ensure that GOV.UK, its official website, is ready for a significant increase in traffic once the campaign launches. It will include details of what consumers need to do to be prepared for travel abroad.
A Number 10 spokesperson said “further information will be published in the coming weeks” on government preparations for leaving the EU with or without a deal, noting that Mr Johnson had “significantly stepped up planning” for no deal. Downing Street insisted it had been “engaging widely” with businesses, despite lobby groups expressing concern that smaller firms were under-prepared.
Responding to the leaked Yellowhammer document, Mr Johnson said preparations for leaving the EU had been “very far advanced” ahead of the March 29 departure date before “things then slipped back a bit”. He added that he was “very confident” that the government would be ready for departure on October 31.
“I’m not pretending that there won’t be bumps on the road. There will be, I said that on the steps of Downing Street, but if everybody puts their minds to it I have absolutely no doubt that we can get ready,” he said during a hospital visit to Truro in Cornwall.
The Yellowhammer document said the consequences of a no deal exit would be widespread disruption — possibly for months — to trade, food and medicine distribution, fishing, and fuel supplies, and civil unrest.
