WATCH: Theresa May says food and medicine stockpiling in case of no-deal Brexit should 'comfort' Brits
2 min read
Theresa May has said the public should be “reassured” that the Government is stockpiling emergency food and medical supplies in case a no-deal Brexit plunges the nation into chaos.
The Prime Minister said making disaster-scenario preparations was the “sensible” thing to do and should give people “comfort”.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock yesterday confirmed to MPs he was working with industry “for the potential need for stockpiling in the event of a no-deal Brexit”.
He added: “This includes the chain of medical supplies, vaccines, medical devices, clinical consumables, blood products.”
Meanwhile Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab said his team was gearing up to “make sure that there’s adequate food supplies” if Britain crashes out of the bloc on World Trade Organisation terms.
But the Prime Minister said the public should be “far from” worried about the preparations, and should in fact find solace in the news.
"[It] is about making sure we’ll be able to continue to do the things that are necessary once we've left the EU if we leave without a deal," she told Channel 5 News.
"I think people should take reassurance from the fact this is a government that is saying ‘you know what, we are going to be responsible about this, we are going to be sensible about this’."
She added: “I believe we can get a good deal. But actually it’s right that we say, because we don't know what the outcome is going to be… let’s prepare for every eventuality.”
Meanwhile, Chancellor Philip Hammond said it was “sensible and responsible” for ministers to work towards the major stockpiling effort.
It comes after the Government, the EU and the 27 remaining EU member states decided to up their preparations for a no-deal Brexit.
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