LONDON (Reuters) - British officials have revived Cold War emergency plans to relocate the royal family should there be riots in London if Britain suffers a disruptive departure from the European Union next month, two Sunday newspapers reported.
"These emergency evacuation plans have been in existence since the Cold War, but have now been repurposed in the event of civil disorder following a no-deal Brexit," the Sunday Times said, quoting an unnamed source from the government's Cabinet Office, which handles sensitive administrative issues.
The Mail on Sunday also said it had learnt of plans to move the royal family, including The Queen, to safe locations away from London.
Britain's government is struggling to get parliamentary support for a Brexit transition agreement with the EU before the departure date of March 29, and the government and businesses are preparing contingency plans for a 'no-deal' Brexit.
Business groups have warned of widespread disruption if there are lengthy delays to EU imports due to new customs checks, and even possible shortages of food and medicine.
Last month an annual speech by the 92-year-old queen to a local women's group was widely interpreted in Britain as a call for politicians to reach agreement over Brexit.
I'm not sure that actually has anything to do with sovereignty. The Withdrawal Agreement is the result of a negotiation between two parties. It stands to reason that the other party, ie the EU27, has some say in the content of that Agreement. That will be true with every other nation we negotiate with in future.
jim // That will be true with every other nation we negotiate with in future.//
That isn't true at all, at the moment we are in the process of leaving the EU, and a fairly insignificant country (with apologies to Latvians) having a population less than Birmingham, has as much say on that process as say, France or Germany.
Trading under WTO rules, Britain either makes a deal with another country or it doesn't - that country has no say on Britain's internal matters.
I don’t think I need to do I?
It’s self evident.
I think we were hoping there’d be disunity on the EU side as different countries tossed different difficulties in the way, but aside from a brief tizzy by Spain over Gibraltar it’s been pretty much solid.
When even an arch enemy of the Germans, Yanis Varoufakis, calls it pretty much as it is, then you can see how isolated the UK is here.
In the subject of which it’s quite funny to hear alleged no hopers like Latvia being called to task in some quarters for having the temerity to be the equal of joint devils incarnate France and Germany. One minute the EU is being browbeaten by Jerry and the Frogs, the next minute Johnny Latvian is telling them what to do.
Priceless.
The Withdrawal Agreement is primarily about our relationship with the EU. That ends up mixing with internal affairs to an extent because being inside the EU has had a substantial impact on our laws, economy, trade, etc. But still, it follows that any EU country has a complete right to say what it does and does not want in an Agreement that has an equal impact on its own future.
So why shouldn't Latvia's ambassador comment on her (and its) view? No reason, except perhaps because of the same arrogance that led us to this decision in the first place.