Operation Capstone News Today

FEARS have been raised over the damage which could be caused by Brexit in less than two weeks’ time, as the clock ticks down on the chance for the UK to strike a deal with the EU. Scotland’s Brexit Secretary warned the continuing uncertainty over what will happen on January 1, when the transition period comes to an end, was “utterly disastrous”. Meanwhile a report from MPs said a failure by the UK ­Government to mitigate disruption would result in the “worst possible start to t...

Medicines heading to hospitals battling Covid stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic Also saw a gang of bandits hijack a vaccine shipment and care homes closed Michel Barnier yesterday warned there are just a few hours left to secure deal  Fishing increasingly appears to be biggest remaining obstacle in negotiations  Ferries were confronted by a blockade of protesting fishing boats, care homes were shut down and a gang of bandits hijacked a vaccine shipment in a no-deal Brexit tabletop exercise.�...

Boris Johnson has warned a deal is looking increasingly unlikely THE civil service has rehearsed the UK Government’s No-Deal Brexit nightmare scenario, Operation Capstone, as the end of the transition period rapidly approaches. Both the UK and EU have warned a deal is looking unlikely, so with just days to go the Government is exploring what an exit without an agreement could mean. Whitehall war-gamed a series of events which could play out if the UK leaves the EU without a deal at the ...

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Christmas leave will be cancelled for officials and hundreds of border staff deployed under government preparations for a No Deal Brexit which will begin this week. War games codenamed ‘Operation Capstone’, which will mock up the worst-case scenarios, will test the country’s readiness on Wednesday. Officials will test border disruption and fishing boats entering the UK’s waters illegally. In one of the biggest peacetime operations, the combined forces of the police, border guards, cust...

He will head an exit operations "super-committee" to run alongside the existing no-deal preparation group run by Michael Gove. With the Brexit transition period due to end on December 31, there are fears of major disruption and delays at ports if no trade deal can be struck with the EU. Even if there is an agreement, some difficulties may arise. But Helen Dickinson, the chief executive of the BRC trade body, insisted food supplies in shops and supermarkets would not be greatly affected. She sai...

Eleventh Hour: EU, Britain Agree to Extend Brexit Talks Till 31st December Published December 13th, 2020 - 11:46 GMT In this file photo taken on October 02, 2019 Britains Prime Minister Boris Johnson delivers his keynote speech to delegates on the final day of the annual Conservative Party conference at the Manchester Central convention complex, in Manchester, north-west England. Ben STANSALL / AFP Highlights He had suggested that today was a hard deadline for both sides to make agreement...

George Eustice, the Environment Secretary, Michael Gove, the Cabinet Office minister, Alister Jack, the Scotland Secretary, Simon Hart, the Welsh Secretary, and Brandon Lewis, the Northern Ireland secretary, are understood to be working on the plans. The disclosure comes as Downing Street this week ramps up no-deal planning by initiating a cross-Whitehall exercise on Wednesday, Operation Capstone, which will also involve the three devolved administrations. Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP Boris Johnson...

The Government has revealed its No Deal contingency plans, including more than 3,000 lorries a week to bring in essential drugs and 1,100 extra customs and immigration officers. Preparations for Britain crashing out without a free trade agreement have so far seen Royal Navy vessels deployed to threats of illegal fishing in UK waters, Number 10 confirmed last night. Now officials have announced a raft of other moves, including the recruitment of extra border staff to help ensure the country can ...

The Government has employed extra officials to seven inland inspection sites. These Border Operations Centres will run 24 hours per day and seven days per week, and will have support phone lines and special apps for hauliers. A smartphone app will be used to direct haulage drivers to the closest of seven new inland border checkpoints. Hauliers will be affected by a no-deal Brexit (Image: GETTY) The Government has released a new "haulier handbook" that lays out the changes at ports, which has be...