- Britain came close to leaving the European Union without a trade deal under Boris Johnson's leadership, sparking fears of food shortages and soaring import costs.
- During the fraught negotiations, government ministers and officials secretly stocked up on European goods like French wine, chopped tomatoes, and olive oil.
- This stockpiling was seen as an indicator of their low confidence that a comprehensive trade agreement would be secured.
- The spectre of a no-deal Brexit hung over the UK as negotiations repeatedly broke down, with both sides expressing doubts about reaching an agreement.
- A trade deal was eventually struck at the eleventh hour, averting a scenario where the UK would have defaulted to World Trade Organisation terms, leading to tariffs on goods.
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