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The Government has “paused” its campaign urging the public and businesses to be prepared to leave the EU on October 31.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman has said the “Get Ready for Brexit” campaign is being temporarily halted after Boris Johnson accepted the EU’s offer to extend the deadline for three months.
The Brexit information campaign, which saw adverts displayed across TV, social media and billboards, is reported to have cost £100 million.
Opposition leader, Labour’s Jeremy Corbyn told MPs it is “£100m of misspent public money”.
Mr Corbyn said: “How many nurses could have been hired, how many parcels could have been funded at food banks, how many social care packages could have been funded for our elderly?”
The National Audi Office reported that the campaign had a “limited impact” because it was launched in September, a date too close to when the UK was supposed to leave the union on October 31.
It comes as Mr Johnson signed a letter sent to the EU which accepts the offer of a Brexit extension.
The Prime Minister signed the document which was sent to European Council President Donald Tusk agreeing with the EU’s terms.
In a letter to European Council President Donald Tusk, Mr Johnson reluctantly accepted the delay, saying he had no choice under British law.
The announcement that the Get Ready for Brexit campaign had been halted also came as MPs rejected the Prime Minister’s bid for a general election on December 12.
An advert for the Government’s Get Ready for Brexit campaign (AFP via Getty Images)
Following Mr Johnson’s defeat in the Commons, a Downing Street source has said a one-clause motion to amend the Fixed-Term Parliaments Act (FTPA) to call for a general election with the specific date of December 12 will be laid tonight.
The source also said that the Withdrawal Agreement Bill (WAB) to implement Mr Johnson’s Brexit deal will not be put back to MPs.
The No 10 source said: “Tonight we are laying a one-clause motion to amend the FTPA and call an election with the named day of December 12. The Bill is very similar to the LD/SNP Bill.
“The WAB will not be put back. This is the way to get Brexit done so the country can move on.”
