How a no-deal Brexit could cripple Britain

Neil Hall / Reuters; Yves Herman / Reuters; Samantha Lee / Business Insider

Theresa May is heading towards a no-deal Brexit

LONDON - As the UK edges towards Brexit with little sign of an agreement, the once-unthinkable prospect of a no-deal Brexit has become a realistic one.

On Thursday, the UK government will publish its first batch of no-deal technical notices, advising businesses and consumers on how it is preparing for the prospect of leaving the EU empty-handed.

But while ministers continue to insist that "no deal would be better than a bad deal," the truth is that the consequences of such a messy exit would stretch to almost every corner of British life.

They would threaten cancer treatments, food and medicine supplies, insurance policies, and the functioning of the NHS, as well as the existence of entire industries within the UK.

Here are just some of the things that could happen if May fails to secure a Brexit deal.

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