North Somerset Council to hold Brexit briefing

A meeting about Brexit will be held by North Somerset Council at Weston Town Hall today (Tuesday).

Councillors will meet at the Rileford Room at 4pm to discuss the possible ramifications of exiting the European Union (EU) without a deal next month.

The Mercury has been told this meeting will be held behind closed doors and no public attendance will be allowed.

Britain is set to leave the EU on October 31, with or without a trade agreement, although Parliament last week voted to force the Government to ask for an extension if no agreement is reached in time.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is in Europe for talks over a deal this week while Parliament is prorogued - but many commentators believe an agreement will not be forthcoming before the Halloween deadline.

A no-deal Brexit is expected to have an adverse impact across the country in the short-term, with Operation Yellowhammer papers published last week revealing the Government believes food and medicine shortages and public order issues are possible if Britain crashes out of the EU.

Opposition parties have called for the Government to negotiate an extension to Article 50 which will push Brexit back to 2020 to allow for a general election.

The council is likely to discuss preparations and plans made in the event of a no-deal Brexit.