British Foreign Office planning to evacuate expats from Spain

British Foreign Office planning to evacuate expats from Spain
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By h.b. - Dec 18, 2011 - 11:15 AM
The Sunday Times reports that the Foreign Office is preparing for the worst case scenario and a collapse of banks in the Eurozone

The Sunday Times today

The Sunday Times has claimed that Whitehall has plans for a euro-evacuation. The paper claims that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is drawing up plans to ‘rescue’ thousands of British expats from Spain and Portugal in the event of a banking collapse.

The article says it comes as credit rating agencies warn that the deal struck by EU leaders this month may not save the single currency from further turbulence and possible collapse.
It continues,
‘Officials from the Foreign Office and the Treasury are preparing contingency plans to help thousands of Britons get home if banks in Spain and Portugal — two of the most vulnerable eurozone economies — fail and people are unable to get at their money.”

The Sunday Times says the treasury confirmed that plans to give emergency aid to Britons if eurozone banks collapse were being prepared, but refused to give details. The Foreign Office admitted it was preparing for a ‘nightmare scenario’ of thousands of penniless Britons sleeping at airports and no means of getting home. They are reported to be discussing chartering planes, ships and coaches to evacuate expats.

It follows reports in the Daily Telegraph some two weeks ago saying British embassies in the Eurozone have been told to draw up plans to help British expats through a collapse of the Euro currency, amid new fears for Italy and Spain.

This story has been updated here

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