If anyone had told me when I was first elected... that less than a decade later the Government of this country would be pursuing a policy that necessitates the stockpiling of body bags

[StealthPolarBear]

Reading the transcript of the debate and this stood out.

my jaw is on the floor.

Thank god this is on the Hansard record.
I imagine some one might pop on and say "Project Fear". Much like my cat would say if I told her not to run across the motorway.

I haven't got much past that point, going t I read it with a cup of the precious coffee stockpile tonight

Who said this?

Catherine McKinnell, MP for Newcastle North I think.

Have you seen the newsnight report which includes a bit about medicines.

God help you if you have epilepsy...like my dh.

I know the PM thinks we voted for pain but it's like some one said on another thread months ago.

Did people really vote to have a potato delivered by the army? ( With stockpiled body bags to boot.)

Thanks Xia.

It's shocking. And the remainers still blithely say it will be fine/shout 'project fear' when it's the government making these preparations. It's like a mass hypnosis experiment.

Leavers!! Not remainers.

I need coffee.

It's shocking. And the remainers still blithely say it will be fine/shout 'project fear' when it's the government making these preparations.

Indeed - Remainer MPs in the government...

The NHS is stockpiling body bags amid fears the UK while run out in a no-deal Brexit.

Health Minister Stephen Hammond made the revelation in a letter to an unnamed Tory MP, which has been leaked on Twitter.

Mr Hammond wrote precautionary efforts are being made to ensure medical supplies are not affected when the UK is due to leave the European Union on March 29.

The NHS is preparing for 'all exit scenarios', which includes stockpiling body bags, Mr Hammond wrote.

He added it is 'essential' to ensure all medical products are accounted for, including medication, vaccines and 'consumables, including body bags'.

Consumables are defined as commodities that are intended to be used up quickly.

Many of these products come to the UK 'from or through the EU', with provisions being made to ensure 'the supply is not disrupted'.

www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-6701383/NHS-stockpiling-BODY-BAGS-amid-fears-UK-run-no-deal-Brexit.html

Stephen Hammond was sacked as a vice-chairman of the Conservative Party after he rebelled against the Government on a key Brexit vote.

The former transport minister voted in favour of Dominic Grieve’s amendment seven, to back his attempt to ensure MPs have a “meaningful vote” on the withdrawal deal.

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/stephen-hammond-fired-sacked-brexit-rebellion-tory-mp-theresa-may-latest-a8108691.html

Stephen Hammond, the Wimbledon MP had been one of the staunchest Remainers on the Tory backbenches and put his name to all the amendments to EU legislation that Leavers hated.

Bringing him into government does mean he will no longer be able to cause trouble or organise colleagues on the backbenches

Ha,ha - he's caused more trouble than they bargained for!

www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk/2018/11/government-s-new-ministers-show-it-has-lost-brexiteers

"In the last General Election, I promised my constituents I would work to avoid a Hard-Brexit or ‘No Deal’."

"the House of Commons must get behind a single credible option to avoid ‘No Deal’ and a ‘Hard Brexit’."

"I will be working with colleagues from all sides of the House to find this option and I rule nothing out."

"I have long been an advocate for the Common Market 2.0 option, also known as EFTA/EEA.It would allow the UK to remain in most parts of the Single Market"

While it is indeed a 'shocking' statement and it is well past time that all of the HoC and cabinet had a good 'head shake', the headline itself is relatively 'harmless' in that it is adding together that fact that there could /will be transportation difficulties and the fact that the body bags that the UK uses are made in the EU.
You could add in that the UK might need more bodybags because of difficulties obtaining and delivering food, but that is getting a little more obscure.

He didn't have to mention body bags did he?

He could have said bed pans instead - it's a deliberate, orchestrated leak (no pun intended) - to the press in my opinion.

That's right,bed pans and body bags are exactly the same thing. Riiiiiiiggghhhhht

bellinisurge
Says the person who advises, stocking up on treats because it can be boring stuck in inside if there's a no-deal^.

Stuck inside for what? Civil war? A curfew?

Most people I know will be going to work, taking their kids to school, meeting friends....but you will be hiding in your bunker with the curtains drawn!!

extra in not intended. .

He could have said bed pans instead - it's a deliberate, orchestrated leak (no pun intended) - to the press in my opinion.

Yes, indeed. The red bus could have said - let's risk our supply of medicines - but it didn't.

Leavers have got to start doing better, they won after all.

Leavers have got to start doing better, they won after all

They did - setting up a logistics hub in Belgium (for medicines and medical supplies), contracting 7 new ferry routes away from Dover, and booking air freight. It's called contingency planning.

Apart from the fact that the port of Dover state they are ready for a no-deal and Kent County Council record (in their March meeting notes) - that the main transport corridor through Kent should be fine.

The government have been planning operation yellowhammer for months and months.

Ah yes, giving a contract to a ferry firm which had no ships. Now thats good planning, isn't it? Oh and Brittany Ferries had to start operating its extra services from 29th March, because it was too late for them to change the date. Absolutely brilliant contingency planning.

Now why on earth would we need contingency planning for something which has no downsides and only a considerable upside? 🤔

Yes, and a great way to spend the money we are ‘taking control’ of.

Those ferries thar Clavinova is so proud of are currently running with unused capacity, because the contracts kicked in at the end of March and so the extra ferries must run to fulfil those obligations.

And your taxes are paying for this.

I can assure you, having travelled on it daily for years that the main transport corridor through Kent is anything but fine. It's not even fine on a normal working day, so it will be some sort of miracle if it suddenly becomes 'fine' in the event of no deal.

As a side note, fine is a word often used to describe things that are very much not fine.

@Peregrina - very few shipping companies own their own ships. they’re usually ‘owned’ by shell companies and leased back.

so, the no-ships thing is a red herring.

so, the no-ships thing is a red herring

I am well aware that few companies own all their own ships - the famous Hurtigruten is one company which has ships owned by different firms. But the firm that the Government put the contract out to wasn't able to make any arrangements with other companies. Thus wasting more taxpayers money.