A needless act of self-harm: An insider’s view of a no deal Brexit

Sajjad Karim speaks with disbelief in his voice as he gives his assessment of Brexit and the growing feeling in many quarters that the UK is heading for the EU exit door without a deal.

A solicitor by profession and with 15 years in Brussels representing the North West in the European Parliament, he is used to choosing his words carefully.

However, sitting in the quiet sanctuary of his home in the rural Ribble Valley, he pulls no punches in his belief that the UK is in danger of an act of what he sees as needless self-harm.

That Britain is even thinking of a no-deal scenario fills him with horror. And he paints a grim picture of what might happen in areas such as transport, energy supply and the banking system.

The cost and the time that will have to be spent to cope with the disruptive consequences will be “huge” he says.