No Deal Brexit: British government to impose direct rule in North, admits Dominic Raab

Mr. Raab was explicitly asked about the possibility of direct rule in the North on BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

“We’ll make sure that arrangements are in place so that there’s no vacuum, so there’s the efficient conduct of government, but the number one priority is to see the parties in Northern Ireland revive the executive and the assembly so they can take responsibility and control," said Mr. Raab.

"We’ll make sure – and there will of course need to be legislation considered across the no-deal scenario – that all the arrangements, whether they’re regulatory or administrative, are in place so that we don’t have a vacuum," added Mr. Raab.

Mr. Raab admitted legislation might be required to allow the British government to impose direct rule.

"The question will be the extent to which it can be done, and that’s something I know Julian Smith [the Northern Ireland secretary] will be looking at very carefully, along with Michael Gove [the Cabinet Office minister]."

British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, who took over from Theresa May last week, has insisted his new government is preparing for the United Kingdom leaving the European Union with no deal in place on October 31, 2019.

“It is absolutely vital that we prepare for a no-deal Brexit if we are going to get a deal,” said Mr. Johnson last month.

“But I don’t think that is where we are going to end up – I think it is a million-to-one against – but it is vital that we prepare," he added.