Brexit warning to Welsh business from Alun Cairns

Alun Cairns denied the no-deal preparations were tactical scaremongering

Welsh Secretary Alun Cairns is urging businesses not to "put their heads in the sand" over the possibility of a no-deal Brexit.

Mr Cairns said businesses across Wales need to take action on the letters they will now be getting from the government.

The warning came as the UK government stepped-up no deal preparations.

The Vale of Glamorgan MP denied ministers were engaged in scaremongering.

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Mr Cairns told BBC Wales: "My warning is to read that letter, revisit the technical notices if necessary, listen to the communications that will come out from government, from their industry and business representative bodies and make a decision."

He added: "It's up to them as to what they decide but they should not put their heads in the sand and ignore it and assume it'll all be OK."

It has been reported that the government is writing to almost 150,000 businesses across the UK on how they should plan for a no-deal Brexit.

When asked if ministers were engaged in "tactical scaremongering", he said "no".

The MP for the Vale of Glamorgan said: "We're working to make it as smooth as possible an exit but we cannot guarantee that at this stage."

On Monday Welsh Government cabinet members met for the first time since Mark Drakeford's appointment as first minister, BBC Wales Brexit correspondent James Williams said.

Mr Drakeford called on ministers to "ramp-up" no-deal Brexit preparations over Christmas, sources told BBC Wales.

They added that Brexit was expected to become the main focus of the Cardiff-based government's work over the coming months, "potentially edging out other business".