UK to Mobilize 3,500 Troops in Case of No-Deal Brexit - Defense Secretary
No-deal Brexit contingency plans will be implemented from now on, including putting 3,500 armed troops on standby to deal with emergencies, UK Defense Secretary Gavin Williamson said in the House of Commons on Tuesday.
"[We are] putting contingency plans in place, and what we will do is have 3,500 service personnel held at readiness, including regulars and reserves, in order to support any government department on any contingencies they may need," Williamson said.
On December 11, UK Prime Minister Theresa May postponed the vote on her Brexit deal with the European Union, which led to a vote of no confidence against May later in the week. Though she won the vote 200 to 117, the future of Brexit deal is not yet decided and no-deal Brexit also remains possible.
No-deal Brexit will happen on March 29 2019 if May's government fails to find a compromise between the local parliamentarians and the EU authorities on the Brexit mechanism.
No-deal Brexit means that there will be no transition period, and the United Kingdom would have to leave the EU and abandon everything associated with it in one day. This will lead to the uncertainty for life and work in Britain.
Among other things, no-deal Brexit will cause the abandonment of EU trade agreements, which may lead to implementation of new tariffs, and as a result the prices on goods in the UK would go up. The UK will set its own border control procedures, which may lead to border crossing delays, as well as make an unclear situation for foreigners residing in in the UK, and UK citizens residing in the EU.