Menu
Fri, 29 March 2024

Newsletter sign-up

Subscribe now
The House Live All
Communities
Mission possible: Delivering tomorrow’s homes today Partner content
Economy
Data: driving the UK’s growth and productivity Partner content
Economy
By Jill Rutter
Brexit
Economy
Press releases

Government draws up secret plans to slash taxes and tariffs to boost economy in no-deal Brexit

2 min read

Secret plans are being drawn up to slash taxes and cut tariffs if the UK leaves the European Union without a deal, it has been reported.


Cabinet Secretary Sir Mark Sedwill is overseeing the work, known as Project After, amid increasing fears the Government will fail to get a Withdrawal Agreement through the Commons.

According to the Finanial Times, he is leading a team of civil servants looking at what emergency policies could be implemented if the economy nosedives after a no-deal Brexit.

Among the plans being considered is cutting corporation tax and VAT to encourage more business investment, according to the paper.

Another Whitehall plan, codenamed Project Bluebell, is looking at how specific sectors such as agriculture, car manufacturing and pharmaceuticals could be protected if there is no Brexit deal.

Details of the top-secret planning emerged as Theresa May was again rebuffed by the EU over her proposals for breaking the Brexit deadlock.

Brussels officials did agree to re-start negotiations with the UK, but insisted that the Withdrawal Agreement will not be re-opened to allow the removal of the Irish backstop.

Relations between the Government and the EU plummeted after Donald Tusk said there was "a special place in hell" for Brexiteers who pushed for a Leave vote without having a plan for implementing it.

Mrs May criticised the EU Council president for his use of language during face-to-face talks in Brussels.

The Prime Minister will fly to Dublin for dinner with Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar on Friday evening as she continues to search for a way through the Brexit impasse.

MPs are also expected to vote on a series of different options for the way forward in the Commons next Thursday.

PoliticsHome Newsletters

PoliticsHome provides the most comprehensive coverage of UK politics anywhere on the web, offering high quality original reporting and analysis: Subscribe

Categories

Brexit Economy
Podcast
Engineering a Better World

The Engineering a Better World podcast series from The House magazine and the IET is back for series two! New host Jonn Elledge discusses with parliamentarians and industry experts how technology and engineering can provide policy solutions to our changing world.

NEW SERIES - Listen now