The Health Secretary reportedly told the Prime Minister and her cabinet that he ‘could not guarantee that people would not die’ if no Brexit deal was agreed.

Matt Hancock is reported to have said that lives will be at risk due to a shortage of medicine in a no deal scenario during the stormy five-hour meeting on Wednesday.

Theresa May was given the green light from cabinet MPs for her draft Brexit agreement, but faces a battle to get it through the vote in the House of Commons.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock reportedly told cabinet that there is a risk people will die as a result of a no-deal Brexit (Picture: AFP/Getty)

She has already seen resignations this morning – including from her Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab – with threats of further MPs quitting today as the 585-page agreement document is examined in-depth.




According to the Times’ deputy political editor Sam Coates, Mr Hancock last night told the cabinet meeting that he ‘could not guarantee people would not die’ as a result of a no-deal Brexit.

Speaking to LBC and BBC Radio 4 this morning, the Health Secretary refused to confirm or deny his statement – but said the prospect of no deal was ‘not pretty’ for healthcare.

He said: ‘In the event of no deal, we’ve got to ensure that there is the unhindered flow of medicines to people and we’re putting in place what is needed to do that.

‘Now if everybody does the things that they needed to do, including us in government but also the pharmaceutical industry, then I’m confident that we can deliver that.

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‘But there’s a lot of work that needs to happen to ensure that we have that unhindered supply of medicine.

‘This is in the event of no deal. We’ve got a deal.’

LBC host Nick Ferrari asked him to clarify, saying: ‘So in the event of a no-deal, there wouldn’t be enough medicine and people could die?

‘As my listeners track progress, if there is no deal, they should rush down to the chemist pretty quickly to get all the drugs they need or they’re going to die?’

Mr Hancock insisted: ‘We’re putting in place the actions needed to avoid that. But there’s a lot of work to do.

‘But I don’t think we should have a no-deal. I think we should back this deal as no-deal is not pretty.’

Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab has quit as Brexit Secretary (Picture: AP)

Works and Pensions Secretary Esther McVey has also resigned over the Brexit deal (Picture: PA)

Theresa May has herself already warned there are ‘difficult days ahead’ as she faces a furious backlash from Tory Brexiteers in the House of Commons.

Amid cries of ‘Stop Brexit’ from protesters gathered at the gates to Downing Street last night, the Prime Minister told a press conference outside Number 10: ‘When you strip away the detail, the choice before us is clear, this deal … ‘Or leave with no deal, or no Brexit at all.’

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The Government is hoping that MPs will vote on the plan in the House of Commons before Christmas.

If it is voted through, the deal would come into effect in time for the UK’s departure on March 29, 2019.

But the Conservatives don’t have a majority in the House of Commons and many Tory MPs are either openly against Mrs May’s plan or have said they are sceptical.



Reports suggest as many as a third of the 28 ministers attending the meeting in No 10 voiced doubts about the deal.

The DUP, which Mrs May relies on in key votes, have already said they are likely to vote against it, claiming it will lead to the break-up of the United Kingdom.

If MPs do not vote for the PM’s deal then the UK defaults to a no-deal Brexit.

In that instance, Matt Hancock admits that lives will be at risk due to a shortage of medicine.

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