The notion that a no-deal Brexit would mean a ‘clean break’ from the European Union is “nonsensical”, the former head of the Brexit department has said.
Philip Rycroft, the former permanent secretary at the Department for Exiting the EU, criticised comments by politicians.
Brexit party leader Nigel Farage offered to support Boris Johnson in an election if he promises to pursue a “clean break Brexit”.
The Prime Minister has also repeatedly said he is willing to leave without a deal.
Complex negotiations
He argued that the procession of being legally removed from the EU would trigger complex negotiations and would not constitute a clean break.
In an interview with The Guardian, Mr Rycroft said: “What it can’t do is undo all of the very close economic ties that we have with the EU, on which so much of our trade as a country depends. And nor would we want to undo all of the close security ties that we have with the EU.
“Because of the importance of those ties both for the EU and the UK, it will remain hugely important to have those expressed through a formal relationship.
“In other words, we’re going to have to negotiate – and that negotiation on the future relationship starts with citizens, money and the border on the island of Ireland.
“So the notion that no deal somehow means that we can turn our backs on the EU and break all our ties is just nonsensical.”
‘Everybody should be worried’
Earlier this summer, Mr Rycroft claimed “everybody should be worried” about leaving the EU without a deal, calling the move “a step into the unknown”.
He told the BBC’s Panorama programme that getting a deal is “overwhelmingly in the economic interest” of both the UK and the EU.
Mr Rycroft was in charge of Brexit planning for 18 months before stepping down just before the March Brexit deadline.
On Saturday, cabinet minister Nicky Morgan said she would vote to remain in the EU in a second referendum.
The Culture Secretary insisted she did not support holding another poll and believed the original result needed to be “fulfilled”.
But asked directly how she would vote in a new Brexit referendum, she replied: “I would vote to Remain.”
