LONDON: British officials have revived Cold War
emergency plans to relocate the royal family
should there be riots in London if Britain suffers a
disruptive departure from the European Union next
month, two Sunday newspapers reported.
“These emergency evacuation plans have been in
existence since the Cold War, but have now been
repurposed in the event of civil disorder following
a no-deal Brexit,†the Sunday Times said, quoting
an unnamed source from the government’s
Cabinet Office, which handles sensitive
administrative issues.
The Mail on Sunday also said it had learnt of
plans to move the royal family, including Queen
Elizabeth, to safe locations away from London.
Britain’s government is struggling to get
parliamentary support for a Brexit transition
agreement with the EU before the departure date
of March 29, and the government and businesses
are preparing contingency plans for a ‘no-deal’
Brexit.
Business groups have warned of widespread
disruption if there are lengthy delays to EU
imports due to new customs checks, and even
possible shortages of food and medicine.
Last month an annual speech by the 92-year-old
queen to a local women’s group was widely
interpreted in Britain as a call for politicians to
reach agreement over Brexit.
Jacob Rees-Mogg, a Conservative lawmaker and
keen supporter of Brexit, told the Mail on Sunday
he believed the plans showed unnecessary panic
by officials over a no-deal Brexit, as senior royals
had remained in London during World War Two
bombing.
But the Sunday Times said an ex-police officer
formerly in charge of royal protection, Dai Davies,
expected Queen Elizabeth would be moved out of
London if there was unrest.
“If there were problems in London, clearly you
would remove the royal family away from those
key sites,†Davies was quoted as saying.
source:
www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/world/2019/02/03/queen-elizabeth-to-be-evacuated-in-case-of-brexit-unrest/
