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A8 WORLD NEWS
Thursday 20 december 2018
100 days to Brexit: EU, UK act to cushion no-deal chaos

By JILL LAWLESS an" in the House of Com-
LORNE COOK mons on Wednesday, after
Associated Press he was caught appearing
LONDON (AP) — The Euro- to mutter the insult during a
pean Union marked 100 fiery debate.
days until Brexit on Wednes- "I did not use the words
day by triggering an action 'stupid woman' about the
plan to ensure planes can prime minister or anyone
still fly and money can still else, and am completely
flow between Britain and opposed to the use of sex-
the bloc in the increasingly ist or misogynist language
likely event that the U.K. in absolutely any form at
leaves the EU without a di- all," Corbyn said.
vorce deal. In a bid to regain some of
The British government, its vanished political mo-
struggling to break a po- mentum, the British govern-
litical logjam over Brexit, ment published long-await-
released immigration plans ed plans for a post-Brexit
that it said will "take back immigration system that will
control" of the country's end the automatic right of
borders — but which oppo- EU citizens to live in the U.K.
nents warn will batter the Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May leaves 10 Downing Street for Prime Minister's Questions at the "We're going to bring an
economy by shutting out House of Commons, in London, Wednesday Dec. 19, 2018. end to free movement,"
everyone but highly paid Associated Press May said. "We will do that
professionals. in a way that enables us to
The EU measures, an- kis called the contingency week because the deal open markets evaporate. reduce net migration but
nounced a day after Britain plan "an exercise in limiting faced heavy defeat. It has The EU plan includes tem- enables us to ensure that
ramped up its own no-deal damage." been rescheduled for mid- porary one- to two-year the brightest and best can
planning, are intended to Britain is due to leave the January, but opposition measures to allow some be attracted to the United
alleviate "major disruption" EU on March 29, but it's un- remains strong across the U.K.-EU financial services to Kingdom."
to people and businesses clear whether lawmakers political spectrum. continue and a 12-month She said that "in the future
in case squabbling U.K. will approve the divorce Leaving without a deal provision to keep planes coming here will be based
politicians fail to ratify a agreement Prime Minis- risks plunging the British flying between Britain and on your contribution, not
withdrawal agreement be- ter Theresa May's govern- economy into recession the bloc. on the country you come
tween Britain and the bloc. ment has negotiated with and sparking chaos at the But Dombrovskis stressed from."
European Commission Vice the bloc. May postponed borders, as four decades of that the measures "cannot The government proposal
President Valdis Dombrovs- a vote in Parliament last economic alignment and replicate the benefits of places no limit on the num-
the withdrawal agreement, ber of well-paid, skilled im-
and certainly it cannot rep- migrants who can settle in
licate the benefits of EU Britain, but puts curbs on
membership." "low-skilled" workers, who
Britain's no-deal prepa- would only be able to get
rations include putting one-year working visas.
3,500 soldiers on standby, The government plan
chartering boats to bring suggests setting a salary
in goods and stockpiling threshold that immigrants
medicines. The govern- will have to meet in order to
ment called them sensible be given the right to settle
precautions, but opposition in Britain.
politicians accused May of An independent body ad-
trying to scare lawmakers vising the government has
into supporting her Brexit suggested 30,000 pounds
deal. ($38,000) a year — above
"No-deal would be a disas- the median U.K. wage and
ter for our country and no more than the starting sal-
responsible government ary for nurses, paramedics,
would ever allow it," Labour junior doctors and many
Party leader Jeremy Cor- other professions.
byn said. Saffron Cordery, deputy
Most members of Parlia- chief executive of NHS Pro-
ment dislike both May's viders — an umbrella group
Brexit deal and the pros- for Britain's state-funded
pect of leaving the EU health care system — said
without an agreement, but the health sector was
they are deeply divided "deeply concerned" about
about what to do instead, the proposal.
and the country's political "High skills does not equal
debate has grown increas- high pay," she told the BBC.
ingly bad-tempered as The government said the
Brexit day approaches. exact salary threshold
Corbyn was forced to deny would be decided after
calling May a "stupid wom- public consultation.q