The out-of-court settlement led to immediate calls from Labour for the transport secretary, Chris Grayling, to be sacked for “routine incompetence”. Eurotunnel sued after Grayling awarded a £14m contract for a ferry service in the event of a no-deal Brexit to the start-up firm Seaborne Freight on 28 December. Grayling said the settlement meant the existing contracts with Brittany and DFDS for emergency medical supplies could be protected. It is believed that one of the factors leading to the settlement was the prospect of the background to the contract becoming public. The settlement “allows us to continue at the job at hand”, including measures to ease pressure at the border with France in the event of a no-deal Brexit, the spokesman said.

Source: The Guardian March 01, 2019 10:45 UTC