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The reluctance of the government to agree to a recall of Parliament to allow MPs to debate Brexit is, according to the opposition parties, a further signal that it is determined to evade awkward questions about its contingency plans.
And of course, it does not want to allow any opportunities for the opposition to table a vote of no confidence.
Constitutionally, it holds the whip hand as it is only the government that can call for a recall.
The argument over that Operation Yellowhammer dossier rumbles on with ministers continuing to maintain that contingency plans are out of date and represent a worst case scenario.
Rather than battening down the hatches and refusing to say anything more than that there may be a few bumps in the road, one way of shutting down the debate would be to publish its up-to-date contingency plans and impact assessments.
Don't expect that to happen anytime soon - politicians instinctively tend to opt for secrecy when transparency and openness might serve them better.
Among the less well reported aspects of Operation Yellowhammer was the impact on adult care providers many of whom are already struggling to survive.
"Politicians instinctively tend to opt for secrecy when transparency and openness might serve them better..."
This is a particular problem in Kent where the demographic trend points to an ever growing number of elderly people.
Nadra Ahmed, chairman of the Medway-based National Care Association, believes the government has failed to grasp the ramifications of a no-deal Brexit on the sector, warning that it could be a tipping point for some care providers who are only just keeping their head above water.
She points out that many care homes are effectively an extension of the NHS and consequently as vulnerable to issues such as medicine shortages and lack of staff as hospitals are.
The unexpected announcement that the government will stop the free movement of EU Nationals immediately on October 31 if there is no deal has the potential to cause greater problems for the recruitment of staff in the public sector.
