UK police warns politicians against inflaming Brexit tensions

Britain's police forces on Thursday warned politicians and campaigners not to inflame tensions amid ongoing uncertainties around the UK’s impending exit from the European Union (EU). The UK's National Police Chief's Council (NPCC) said that its officers were fully prepared for a “range of scenarios” in the event of the UK leaving the EU without a deal in place, including planning for potential protest, crime and emergencies.

"Our planning considers what might happen and the worst case scenarios. We are not predicting these outcomes but we are preparing for them,” said NPCC chair Martin Hewitt. "There are strong views on EU exit and often loud and passionate debate. There’s a responsibility on us all to think carefully and be temperate in how we communicate so we don’t inflame tensions,” he said.

As a precautionary measure, around 10,000 officers are on standby to be deployed within short notice in the event of a chaotic no-deal Brexit, which remains the default option for the April 12 deadline unless an alternative is agreed before then. The NPCC, which is leading the police planning for Brexit at a UK-wide level working, said a national unit has been established to gather and share intelligence from across policing with the government. The planning involves tried and tested methods and approaches as part of a multi-agency response to potential issues or unrest that may arise.

"At the moment, we have no intelligence to suggest there will be rises in crime or disorder but we are well prepared to respond to any issues that may arise,” said Chief Constable Charlie Hall, NPCC Lead for Operations. “Police are trained and equipped to maintain public order and have established plans to surge officers within force or mobilise officers across the country if necessary,” he said.

The police intervention came just as British MPs voted a bill through the House of Commons by just one vote to force British Prime Minister Theresa May’s hand on seeking a lengthy delay to the Brexit deadline in order to avert a cliff-edge no-deal Brexit crash-out. The bill, which will have to be passed by the House of Lords to become law and ultimately requires the EU to agree to a lengthy extension, is the latest attempt by Britain’s MPs to try and wrest control of the Brexit process away from the UK government.

Meanwhile, talks between the ruling Conservative and Opposition Labour parties entered their second day on Thursday as a joint action team tried to end the Brexit deadlock. It follows discussions between Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn on Wednesday, which were described as "constructive" by both party leaders. "It's time for decisions," said EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier, who has welcomed the unprecedented move by May to open cross-party talks after the UK Parliament repeatedly failed to come up with an alternative to her controversial EU divorce bill.

However, the talks have provoked strong criticism from MPs in both parties, with two of May’s ministers even resigning in anger. It remains to be seen what kind of a compromise may be worked out amid Labour’s demand for a so-called soft Brexit with a permanent Customs Union with the EU, with many in the party also in favour of a second referendum.

May hopes to agree with a policy with the Labour leader for MPs to vote on or before April 10, when the EU will hold an emergency summit on Brexit. But if they cannot reach a consensus, she has pledged to allow MPs to vote on a number of options, including the withdrawal agreement she has negotiated with the EU, which MPs have already rejected three times. She has already indicated she plans to ask the EU for a further short extension to Brexit in the hope of getting an agreement passed by Parliament before May 22, so that the UK does not have to take part in European elections on May 23.

(With inputs from agencies.)