Mansfield MP Ben Bradley writes letter backing a '˜no deal' Brexit

It comes just one day before MPs take part in the ‘meaningful vote’ on Theresa May’s Brexit Withdrawal Agreement, deciding whether to follow the Prime Minister’s vision or reject her Brexit.

Mr Bradley has been outspoken in his stance over Brexit, suggesting that a ‘no deal’ scenario would be a better outcome than Mrs May’s deal - which he believes is “Brexit in name only”.

In his letter he suggests that a ‘no deal’, World Trade Organisation terms Brexit will not be the “crash out” option because this “cliff edge no longer exists”.

He also suggests that behind-the-scenes planning for a ‘no deal’ Brexit means that the UK is “prepared for all scenarios” come what may on March 29, 2019.

He said: “In recent months and even years so many in Parliament have been stating the blindingly obvious, that to ‘crash out’ of the EU with nothing whatsoever arranged would be bad.

“Yes it’s true that leaving with no agreement whatsoever; realising at the eleventh hour that it’s not going to happen and having no time to put things in place, would be difficult.

“Obviously if at the last minute it all falls to bits and we have nothing in place our economy and our businesses would find that tough… but to coin a phrase from Mrs May ‘I am very clear’ that this kind of cliff edge ending no longer exists.

“There is no longer any such thing as ‘no deal’, and the choice we face in Parliament is not ‘deal or no deal’ at all.

“Though it’s much less catchy, it’s more like ‘Withdrawal Agreement or managed transition to World Trade Terms’.

“All of the predictions and doom-mongering about a ‘no deal’ Brexit are based on us having nothing at all in place, no agreements, no cooperation, a total seizure.

“Many of the transitional arrangements for after March 29 are already made, and that the cliff edge no longer exists because continuity of things like HGV transit and aviation has already been agreed.”

He adds that ‘no deal’ planning has been thoroughly set out and is now being made public.

He said: “More and more of the UK’s contingencies are being made public, and the EU have released their ‘no deal planning’ too.

“Instead of the ‘transition period’ in Mrs May’s deal there will be many different transitional arrangements across different sectors to ensure continuity whilst a new relationship comes together.

“We can negotiate a free trade arrangement from a strong position, having transferred across many of the agreements we have within the EU.

“We’ve already agreed a free trade deal with Switzerland and there are 40+ more are on the table.

“In reality far from trading with the world on WTO terms, the EU will be just about the only bloc we don’t have a deal with.

“For the country, the sooner we can move on from these arguments the better.

“For the Government, the sooner it can get on with delivering a positive domestic vision on the issues that affect peoples’ daily lives the better.”