UK police cancel leaves to deal with Brexit contingency
Police in the United Kingdom have imposed severe restrictions on the amount of leaves officers could take at the end of March and in early April as the force anticipates emergencies and unrest on the street over a potential disorderly withdrawal of Britain from the European Union.
Police services said on Saturday that officer leaves will be almost cancelled for “certain dates in March and April 2019” when Brexit is officially expected to take place.
Police chiefs in The Met, the police force in the capital London, told the Sky News that the restrictions will “allow the service to have sufficient officers and staff available to deal with any issues arising from the UK leaving the EU”.
The announcement comes amid reports that police and armed forces in Britain are preparing themselves for serious cases of rioting and unrest on the streets that could arise from a so-called hard Brexit. Authorities expect a failure of government to go through the parliament with its draft Brexit agreement could lead to a disorderly withdrawal, a scenario which could cause massive shortage of food and medicine in the UK.
A document from the National Police Co-ordination Center published late last year warned that riots would erupt across Britain if a hard Brexit leads to shortage of medicines and rising food prices.
The same document said it would be necessary for police chiefs to call on the military to tackle disorder on the streets.
The British army has already been planned to be on standby during the time of Brexit while many reservists of the force have also been called to help with the military’s Brexit contingency plans.
The UK government has repeatedly indicted that there would be a high chance for a no-deal Brexit if the parliament rejects its deal with the EU in a second vote next week.
Six months of rallies in London: Thousands call for Gaza ceasefire
Pro-Palestine activists paint UK Labour Party office red
20% of teachers in England physically assaulted by students in 2023: Study
‘Say no to Biden’: US college being pressed not to endorse genocide
VIDEO | UN: Alarming food insecurity crisis grips Afghanistan
VIDEO | Stuck in quagmire
UK suspends legal assessments of Israeli violations in Gaza
Students protest at US universities to urge end in financial ties to Israel
Biden signs war aid bill supplying Israel, Ukraine with more weapons
VIDEO | France, West warn Israel against escalation with Iran
Iran refutes Kuwait’s assertion of exclusive rights to Arash gas field
This makes it easy to access the Press TV website
