Thread by @faisalislam

Exclusive: Secret Brexit agreements cover No Deal “open border” plan to not enforce customs checks at UK border

Full Story #brexitforensics
Govt privately acknowledges no space for checks at key borders.
No Deal scenario discussed under NDAs involves not enforcing checks on as ‘pragmatic approach’, expecting reciprocity from EU.
Industry says its not happening:

news.sky.com/story/amp/brex…

Government responds to our story.
Dexeu spokesman: “We want to have a customs arrangement that ensures trade with the EU is as frictionless as possible .

Deal “by far and away the highest probability, but we have a duty to plan for the alternative. That is common sense”.

Thread:
1. Eurotunnel tell us re the Government’s promise of “as frictionless as possible” trade... “the ‘As possible’ has to go. The only way to run this is frictionless.”

2. Treasury in minute to PAC has admitted there is not enough space for checks at key border points. “Border Planning Group has reviewed all border locations...at a number checks difficult to accommodate”... “Government is taking pragmatic approach to border controls...”

3. PAC chair Hillier unimpressed: “If solving this means throwing open the borders to all players... it is staggering after all the Government’s constant talk of controlling borders - we are faced with a situation which could be fairly open borders and chaos on Day One”.

4. Freight Transport Association say EU will not reciprocate any UK unilateral non enforcement of border checks: “the EU is going to enforce the rules it has, it has to, thats the way it works,” says FTA’s Christopher Snelling

5. Out of Single Market and Customs Union, there will have to be checks somewhere... current facility for both Channel Tunnel AND Dover, is off M20 at Stop 24 - it has 82 lorry parking spaces:

6. FTA’s Snelling tells me that operators are already operating dual pricing pre and post Brexit Day: “they’re having to set two different prices: one for now while we are still in the EU and then a higher price once you are out of the EU because of uncertainty”

7. Border professionals basically not optimistic, eg JCCC Brexit committee chair MacSwiney (who refused to sign NDA) and is worried about a “disaster”.. though a Leave voter in referendum. “I did, but I didn’t vote for what it appears we are going to get now though”.

WATCH FULL video report on our exclusive on No Deal, no border checks scenario communicated under NDAs to key border partners, which some have nicknamed “throw open the borders” option...
Part 2 #brexitforensics investigation

8. Meanwhile in Parliament, 34 MPs write to PM on this and similar Grayling comments...

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9. Other details - contacts say No 1 option for customs from Mansion House, the “customs partnership” which maintains no checks, but requires businesses to track goods to consumer refund different tariffs has been repeatedly treated contemptuously by manufacturers & logistics cos

10. They say Highly streamlined customs option requires negotiations to start, will not deliver NI open border, and doubt the interest in EU negotiating it when majority perceived for staying in a Customs Union