Britain’s finance minister on Thursday warned those in his party vying for Prime Minister Theresa May’s job that a no-deal Brexit would threaten the United Kingdom’s cohesion and that they should tone down irresponsible spending pledges.
May’s departure deepens the Brexit crisis as a new leader, who should be in place by the end of July, is likely to want a more decisive split, raising the chances of a confrontation with the EU and potentially a snap parliamentary election.
Boris Johnson, the bookmakers’ favourite to get May’s job, has said the United Kingdom should leave the EU on Oct. 31 with or without a deal.
“We need to get the spectre of a no-deal exit off the table,” finance minister Philip Hammond told the BBC. “Leaving with no deal would be a very bad outcome for the economy.”
“I’m not sure that people necessarily have understood what a risk we would be taking, not only with our economy but also with the future of our precious United Kingdom if we left with no deal,” Hammond said.
The United Kingdom was supposed to have left the EU on March 29 but its politicians are still arguing over how, when or even whether the country will leave the club it joined in 1973.