Operation Oatmeal

The existence of the operation became known on September 6, 2018, when the photojournalist managed to make a photocopy of a document containing some plans for the case of “hard brexit” with an indication of the code name adopted by the Ministry of Finance. ^[7] As it became clear from the document, the Civil Emergency Management Secretariat is required to act as directed by the government. ^[8] Subsequently, the National Audit Office of Great Britain and Northern Ireland published a number of documents related to the operation. ^[9]

The code name "Oatmeal" - a small songbird - was randomly selected. ^[ten]

On February 2, 2019, The Times received several more documents under the same code name, which contained instructions for the British Department of Transportation.

Operation "Oatmeal" describes the procedure in the case of "hard brexitis." ^[1] Some measures must be taken before the date of UK withdrawal from the European Union. ^[2]

On January 29, 2019, the House of Commons of the British Parliament voted against “Brexit without agreement.” ^[11] Thus, the UK, by default, was supposed to leave the EU on March 29, 2019.

On March 20, 2019, the Kent County Council said it had no plans to block roads, hospitals, or schools. British Brexit Minister Steve Barkley has announced that Operation Oatmeal will be launched on March 25, 2019 if Britain and the European Union do not agree on a new Brexit date. ^{[2] [12]}

On March 21, 2019, the UK Department of Defense opened a bunker under its building (the so-called Whitehall) to command military operations from within the framework of Operation Redfold . On March 25, 2019, the COBRA Government Emergency Committee began planning action in accordance with the National Contingency Plan. ^{[13] [14]}

On March 21, 2019, the United Kingdom and the European Union agreed on a new Brexit date (April 8, 2019), and therefore the start of Operation Oatmeal was delayed.

On April 10, 2019, the European Council granted the UK a 6-month delay in brexitis. A few weeks later, the team of government officials responsible for the operation was disbanded, who took up their usual duties.

After Teresa May resigned as prime minister, a number of changes were made to the plan of operations. According to the British analytical center Institute for Government, the government will never again be ready for “hard brexit” as well as in March 2019. Joey Owen, head of the Brexit Center’s center, believes that restarting Ovsyanka and re-assembling a team of several thousand civil servants is an insurmountable task: it will be necessary to “resurrect and reassemble, re-educate people.” ^[fifteen]

On March 25, 2019, the European Union issued a press release stating that the EU had completed preparations for the highly probable “hard brexit,” which could take place on April 12, 2019.

Operation Oatmeal is designed for use in 12 so-called risk zones, among which are the supply of food and medicine, as well as the status of citizens of the United Kingdom located in the European Union. 2

Twelve Risk Zones: 11

transport communications;

people crossing the border;

health care facilities;

UK energy infrastructure and other critical systems;

UK citizens located in the European Union;

the functioning of law enforcement agencies;

banking and finance;

specific risks relating to overseas territories (including the effects of brexitis on Gibraltar);

National security.

Common risks for all areas:

legal procedures;

communications;

work with data.

In March 2019, 56 people worked on the program. It is estimated that 140 people and approximately 1.1 million euros will be required to command the operation.

3,500 troops were on alert to "support civilian forces" in the event of unrest caused by "hard brexit," although the UK Department of Defense has not officially announced this.

On March 21, 2019, the decision of the British government to take risks and implement “hard brexit”, as well as to operate under the “Oatmeal” operation, was condemned by the first Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon. 28 Her words were supported by the first Minister of Wales, Mark Drakeford. March 29, secret documents of the Cabinet of Ministers on the operation "Oatmeal" were the editors of The Guardian. According to the documents, the ministers had to switch to a 22.5-hour working day, and the ministries had to go on a round-the-clock functioning for at least 12 weeks, even if such an instruction was not received from the government. A source with access to information about Ovsyanka said that although intensive work was underway to plan the operation, the overall picture remained chaotic and “uncontrolled”. 5

In mid-August 2019, an official document on Operation Oatmeal 31 was published, dated early August. The document said that “Brexit without agreement” could lead to a shortage of food, medicine and gasoline, a “tight border” on the island of Ireland and a “three-month crisis” in British ports that could not cope with the volume of customs inspections. Riots may start that will require police intervention. As a result of the closure of two oil rigs, thousands of Britons will lose their jobs.

The Cabinet of Ministers tried to challenge the facts stated in the document and called them the “worst case scenario”. 32 33 However, according to The Sunday Times, received from a senior source in the UK Department of Defense, “this is not a project of Fear and Horror, but the most realistic assessment of what we will face after“ Brexit without agreement. ” This is a likely, basic, logical scenario - but not the “worst” one.

On September 3, 2019, The New European reported that “the government is purchasing bags for transporting corpses, as deaths could increase in the case of“ hard brexitis. ”35

• National Audit Office, "Contingency preparations for exiting the EU with no deal"
• Report by the Comptroller and Auditor General, "Cabinet Office: Civil Contingencies Secretariat, Contingency preparations for exiting the EU with no deal", HC 2058 Session 2017–2019, March 12, 2019