Petrol shortages – live: ‘No improvement’ says industry chief, as Raab suggests ex-prisoners can drive tankers

There are no signs of improvement in petrol supplies at independent petrol stations, the head of the Petrol Retailer Association says.

The PRA, which represents independent fuel retailers, said the surge in demand “appears to be continuing,” its chairman told BBC.

The PRA represents 5,500 of the UK’s 8,300 stations.

“Trying to calm this down appears to be a monumental task at the moment,” said PRA chairman Brian Madderson.

He added: “The surge in demand appears to be continuing. There’s been no easing off of the pressure from drivers wanting to refuel whenever they can, wherever they can.”

Deputy prime minister Dominic Raab has suggested that low-level offenders who have been given community sentences could be used to tackle the UK’s lack of HGV drivers.

“We’ve been getting prisoners and offenders to do volunteering and unpaid work,” Mr Raab told The Spectator, in comments carried by The Times.

“Why not, if there are shortages, encourage them to do paid work where there’s a benefit for the economy, benefit for society?

“If you give people skin in the game, give them something to lose, if you give them some hope, they’re much less likely to reoffend.”

Read More

Fuel shortages: Petrol station staff receiving ‘high level of abuse’ despite signs crisis easing

Fuel crisis: ‘Complacent’ government ignored petrol crisis warnings for years, officials claim

Fuel shortages: Petrol station boss attacked by motorbike thug

Key Points

• ‘No signs of improvement’ in petrol supply says industry chief

• Dominic Raab suggests prisoners can drive tankers

• Petrol shortages ‘under control’ say government minister

• Petrol station workers suffering ‘unacceptable’ abuse from motorists

Almost 50% independent petrol stations out of at least one type of fuel

19:15 , Rory Sullivan

Just under half of all independent petrol stations in the UK were out of at least one grade of fuel on Thursday, data from the Petrol Retailers Association has shown.

The trade body said 27 per cent of its members had completely run dry, while a further 21 per cent no longer had at least one type of fuel.

Union leaders condemn extension of longer working hours for HGV drivers

18:44 , Rory Sullivan

Union leaders have criticised the government over its plans to extend the current relaxation of HGV driver’s working hours.

Amid a shortage of lorry drivers, the rules were changed in July to allow hauliers to drive up to 11 hours a day (one more than previously allowed).

Although the measure was supposed to be temporary, it looks set to be extended, possibly into the new year, according to Unite.

Sharon Graham, the union’s general secretary, said: “This is yet another knee-jerk response to a crisis which has been building for nearly 20 years - and the blame for that lies entirely at the door of the employers, and their willing partners, the government.”

“Years of suppressing drivers’ pay and attacking their working conditions has led us to where we are now.

“Far from tackling the current crisis, this latest extension on drivers’ hours will increase the pressures of the job and, as a result, further endanger public safety on the roads. This expediency will end in failure.”

Public react to petrol shortages

18:17 , Rory Sullivan

Large areas of England low on fuel

17:54 , Rory Sullivan

Although the fuel crisis is improving in places such as Yorkshire, large parts of England still have severe petrol shortages, an internal Whitehall analysis has shown.

The North West, the Midlands and London are among the areas with less than 20 per cent of their fuel capacity, according to the Times.

Normally, the average level for the country is 43 per cent.

Fuel crisis in pictures

17:30 , Rory Sullivan

More than 2,000 filling stations currently have no fuel, according to Reuters.

And there are large queues at those that have not run dry:

Pig cull fears grow in UK

17:15 , Rory Sullivan

Turning away from petrol momentarily, the government also faces another crisis in the form of a potential pig cull.

Hundreds of thousands of mature animals, which would usually have been slaughtered by now, are clogging up farms due to a post-Brexit shortage of butchers and slaughterers.

Lizzie Wilson, from the National Pig Association (NPA), said: “There’s about 120,000 pigs sat on farms currently that should have already been slaughtered, butchered, be within the food chain and eaten by now.”

“It is getting to the point where we are saying to government if we don’t get some help soon we’re going to have to look at culling pigs on farm, because that’s our only option now,” she warned.

Fuel crisis improving, AA suggests

16:51 , Rory Sullivan

Although queues remain at petrol stations around the country, things appear to be improving, the AA has said.

The motoring association confirmed it was seeing “encouraging signs of stability”, with the number of drivings running out of fuel falling by half.

AA president Edmund King said: “While the picture isn’t perfect for everyone, we are seeing daily improvements and as such we believe we have turned the corner.

“A large proportion of drivers changed their refuelling habits over the last five days, and this should now allow forecourts to restock and find their feet again.”

Mr King added that once the crisis recedes, decisions would have to be taken on how to “futureproof” shocks to petrol supply.

Petrol stations still running out of fuel ‘quicker than usual’

16:30 , Rory Sullivan

Petrol stations continue to run out of fuel “quicker than usual” despite receiving extra deliveries, the Petrol Retailers Association (PRA) has said.

The association added that 27 per cent of stations have run dry, the same percentage as yesterday.

This appears to go against treasury chief secretary Simon Clarke’s comments earlier that the crisis was “under control”.

Gordon Balmer, the organisation’s executive director, said: “PRA members are reporting that whilst they are continuing to take further deliveries of fuel, this is running out quicker than usual due to unprecedented demand.

“We would urge drivers to maintain their buying habits and only fuel up as and when needed to ensure there is plenty of fuel to go around.”

Brexit not to blame for HGV driver shortages, says Iain Duncan Smith

16:09 , Thomas Kingsley

It’s “lazy” to blame Brexit for HGV driver shortage, former Conservative leader, Iain Duncan Smith said.

In an interview with Times Radio, the MP agreed with government minister Simon Clarke who today said Brexit was not to blame for HGV driver shortages which have resulted in supply chain issues in supermarkets and restaurants in addition to the ongoing petrol crisis.

“Even if we allow visas, I don’t know where we’re gonna get these drivers from,” Mr Smith said.

“The truth is, the lockdown was an unmitigated disaster in economic terms, because some of our institutions didn’t really think through the consequences of locking down everything they did.

“So there was no driver training and examination taking place really, overall, [for] well over a year, which means there were no new drivers coming into the system.”

Sturgeon condemns ‘woefully inadequate’ visa plans brought in by UK government

15:54 , Thomas Kingsley

Scotland’s First Minister called the UK’s visa plan to tackle supply chain issues, “woefully inadequate.”

The UK government plans to plug supply shortages in supermarkets and petrol station forecourts by offering 5,000 foreign HGV drivers three-month visas to work in the UK in the run up to Christmas.

Nicola Sturgeon said the proposal did not even amount to a “sticking plaster.”

“We welcome anything that enables more people to come here to work, but the changes to the visa rules that were announced last week, I think to describe them as a stick plaster would be an exaggeration because I don’t think they even amount to that,” Ms Sturgeon said speaking at First Minister’s Questions.

She added: “The fuel crisis, the labour and skills shortages that are being experienced across the economy and public services right now I think lay bare the economic recklessness of this hard Brexit.”

“The UK government pressed ahead with leaving the EU, despite repeated requests to delay, and everybody across across the country is now seeing the result of this shortsighted ideology.”

HGV driver dead after fatal collision involving three army trucks

15:37 , Thomas Kingsley

Police are investigating a fatal collision involving a HGV and three army trucks.

A 53-year-old HGV driver sustained serious injuries in the collision which occurred on the A38 yesterday (29 September).

The driver was pronounced dead at the Queen’s Medical Centre later that same day, according to Derbyshire Police. His family are aware, and our thoughts are with them at this time.

Detectives investigating the incident are appealing for any drivers with dashcam footage, in particular of the moments leading up to the incident, to get in touch.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Derbyshire police using any of the below methods, including reference 21*566586.

Stop panic-buying petrol and only fill up ‘when you really need it’, Boris Johnson tells public

15:22 , Thomas Kingsley

ICYMI:

Boris Johnson yesterday told the public to stop panic buying and only fill up “when you really need it.”

The Prime Minister broke his silence on the petrol crisis, rejecting pleas to give health and care workers priority to access fuel, despite risks of patients not receiving vital care if key workers are stuck in queues.

Our political correspondents, Andrew Woodcock and Rob Merrick, have the full story below:

Stop panic-buying petrol and only fill up ‘when you really need it’, Johnson says

Labour MP blasts government minister denying Brexit’s contribution to HGV driver shortages

15:02 , Thomas Kingsley

Labour MP Karl Turner responded to a government minister’s claim that Brexit has played no part in the shortage of HGV drivers.

In a post on Twitter, Mr Turner took aim at chief secretary to the treasury, Simon Clarke after he said making the conversation around driver shortages about Brexit was “really quite negative conversation about opportunities foregone.”

Mr Turner wrote in response: “Lying again? @SimonClarkeMP must be honest. We had a shortage of 50K HGV drivers before we left the EU. We now have a shortage of more than 100K. 20K HGV drivers left when we left the EU and they have not returned. We must make Brexit work?

In a follow up tweet the shadow justice minister continued to question Mr Clarke, enquiring why there hadn’t also been a fuel shortage across the rest of Europe if Brexit was not a contributing factor in the crisis.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s driver reportedly queues seven hours in unsuccessful fuel search

14:46 , Thomas Kingsley

Cristiano Ronaldo’s driver queued for seven hours at a petrol station but was still unable to get fuel, according to the Mail Online.

According to the report, the football star asked his driver to fill up his Bentley on Wednesday but after queuing at a forecourt in Cheshire for hours, he were unsuccessful.

The Manchester United legend has moved back into the area since joining the Premier League side this season.

Traffic app Waze using push notifications to track local fuel stocks

14:31 , Thomas Kingsley

The traffic app Waze is asking users to tell it where available fuel pumps are located.

BBC reported that users are receiving pushing push notifications requesting that they “help keep their community informed.”

The data is subsequently plugged into the app’s platform showing a map of petrol station with available fuel.

Local Facebook groups, neighbourhood app Nextdoor and Snapchat have been flooded with drivers requesting information about available fuel stations.

Waze, a subsidiary of Google, said the feature to show fuel stocks was not new but the company “has made the decision to push ‘notify users’ to encourage its use”.

“Fears of disruption to fuel supply have created bumper-to-bumper traffic at petrol stations,” Waze UK manager Ru Roberts said.

Nigel Farage says he was hit by van after searching seven petrol stations for fuel

14:19 , Thomas Kingsley

Nigel Farage said his car was hit by a van as he was looking for fuel amid the country’s petrol crisis.

In a message posted on Twitter, the former Brexit and Reform Party leader-turned-broadcaster complained about empty petrol stations across the country.

He said he visited seven forecourts that had no fuel before eventually finding one where he could fill up as he hit out at Boris Johnson’s government, who he accused of attempting to play down the crisis.

Our reporter, Matt Mathers, has the full story below:

Farage says he was hit by van after searching seven petrol stations for fuel

‘No signs of improvement’ says industry chief

13:56 , Thomas Kingsley

There are no signs of improvement in petrol supplies at independent petrol stations, the head of the Petrol Retailer Association says.

The PRA, which represents independent fuel retailers, said the surge in demand “appears to be continuing,” its chairman told BBC.

The PRA represents 5,500 of the UK’s 8,300 stations.

“Trying to calm this down appears to be a monumental task at the moment,” said PRA chairman Brian Madderson.

He added: “The surge in demand appears to be continuing. There’s been no easing off of the pressure from drivers wanting to refuel whenever they can, wherever they can.”

Mr Madderson said more than a quarter of its members’ petrol stations were out of fuel on Thursday and had written to the government this morning to warn of likely rising prices in fuel brought on by the rising price of Brent Crude Oil and the pound falling against the dollar.

Fuel supply in Scotland could return to normal 'by the weekend’

13:37 , Thomas Kingsley

Fuel supply in Scotland could return to normal by the weekend, an industry chief has said.

Brian Madderson, chairman of the Petrol Retailers Association said the number of dry sites in Scotland had reduced to 15 per cent while the UK figure was 27 per cent, the BBC reported.

“The tankers can actually get to more filling stations during their shifts due to shorter distances than England and Wales,” Mr Madderson told the BBC’s Good Morning Scotland programme.

“You’re talking 30-40 miles maximum in the central belt. That’s been a key point of your resilience.

“So we could expect Scotland will continue to improve and hopefully this weekend, provided we don’t have any more massive surges in buying, we might start to see some rebalancing of supply versus demand.”

Business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng announced yesterday that the government’s reserve tanker fleet, driven by civilians was deployed.

Latest YouGov poll amid petrol crisis shows eight point Tory lead

13:21 , Thomas Kingsley

A YouGov poll taken between 28-29 September shows that the Conservative Party still has an eight point lead over Labour amid the petrol crisis and following Sir Keir Starmer’s speech at the Labour party conference.

This comes as the government has been resolving the ongoing fuel shortage which has resulted in widespread disruption and violence at petrol stations.

Carers forced to cancel visits to elderly

12:57 , Jane Dalton

Two care workers have been forced to cancel home visits to elderly clients because they have no vehicle fuel.

Amazed Care manager Alison Rodford and deputy manager and carer Niki Weigner had to move to a contingency plan, Surrey Live reported.

Ms Weigner said: “It’s anxiety, it’s anger and frustration because I want to be able to go out and see my clients and make sure they get the best possible care I can give them.

“When I have to start backing off, because other people are being selfish about petrol, it’s infuriating.”

BP petrol station gives key workers priority

12:53 , Jane Dalton

A BP petrol station in south London is prioritising key workers by capping the amount of petrol other drivers can buy, it’s been reported.

Staff at the site on Old Kent Road in Southwark said they had been told to ensure essential staff, such as healthcare and emergency workers, were prioritised when their next delivery arrived, the i newspaper reported.

It is understood this would mean those who are unable to produce ID proving their key worker status, or not in emergency vehicles, would be limited to buying 35 litres of fuel.

Fuel crisis leads to cancelled school buses and calls for teachers to be priority group

12:01 , Thomas Kingsley

ICYMI:

The ongoing petrol crisis also resulted in school buses being cancelled.

One education union has warned the continuing impact of fuel shortages is “expected to cause serious difficulties” for schooling.

One headteacher, who gave her name only as Michelle, told LBC her pupils and staff were facing trouble getting into school due to the fuel shortages affecting the nation.

“Unfortunately yesterday, one of my buses I couldn’t run because we had no diesel,” she told the radio station on Tuesday morning.

Headteachers associations also warned that remote learning could return if teachers were unable to go into schools due to ongoing disruptions.

Our reporter Zoe Tidman has the full story below:

School buses cancelled due to fuel shortages

Petrol station boss attacked by motorbike thug

11:43 , Thomas Kingsley

A petrol station boss was rushed to hospital after being attacked and racially abused in north London.

Petrol station boss Nerali Patel, 38, said she was hit in the face with a petrol nozzle and pushed to the floor by the moped driver who repeatedly called her a “p****”.

The mother of two was left needing stitches following the incident in Haverstock Hill, north London.

She said the rider had become aggressive after she closed the forecourt on Sunday afternoon due to pumps going dry.

Our reporter Thomas Kingsley has the full story below:

Petrol station boss attacked by motorbike thug

Army on standby to ‘buttress’ ongoing shortage of HGV drivers, minister says

11:29 , Thomas Kingsley

Treasury minister Simon Clarke said members of the army were on standby to “buttress” the ongoing shortage of HGV drivers which has contributed to the fuel crisis.

“The army is on standby to help support the commercial operations and, of course, we’ve seen some changes, including, notably, allowing some MoD driving instructors to help boost the number of tankers,” he told BBC’s Today Programme.

“There 150 drivers on standby to help support operations as required.”

Mr Clarke said the aim of the deployment is to drive down pressures on petrol stations facing limited supplies.

‘Tories are giving with one hand while taking away much more with the other,’ Labour MP says

11:16 , Thomas Kingsley

Labour MP Bill Esterson said the government are “giving with one hand while taking away much more with the other.”

The shadow minister for trade and MP for Sefton Central wrote on Twitter: “Universal Credit cut takes £6 billion away, they are putting taxes up for working people, prices are going up and there are queues at petrol stations.”

Raab backs calls to give asylum seekers right to work

11:03 , Thomas Kingsley

Dominic Raab has supported the idea that asylum seekers in the UK should be allowed to work, saying it would help the country’s labour shortages, which has contributed to the ongoing fuel crisis.

The deputy prime minister said removing the ban on employment for people claiming asylum would allow them to make a “positive contribution.”

His remarks were made during an interview with the Spectator and will be welcomed by campaigners who accused the government of “kicking the can down the road” on their promise to review the asylum work ban, which the government first said it would carry out three years ago.

Our social affairs correspondent, May Bulman, has the full story below:

Dominic Raab backs calls to give asylum seekers right to work

Petrol hauliers now have too many drivers and must use emergency tanker fleet

10:48 , Thomas Kingsley

UK petrol hauliers now have more drivers than they do tankers, meaning they will have to lease them from the government’s emergency fleet, The i reported.

According to Whitehall sources emergency measures taken by petrol hauliers such as cutting annual leave, longer working hours and reaching out to volunteers resulted in a surplus of drivers to tankers available.

There is still, however, a shortfall of 100,000 HGV drivers for other goods.

The head of the Petrol Retailers Association (PRA) Gordon Palmer, said only 27 per cent of PRA members have reported being out of fuel today, with continued easing expected over the next 24 hours.

‘I really don’t accept that’: Minister denies HGV driver shortage made worse by Brexit

10:37 , Thomas Kingsley

Chief Secretary to the Treasury Simon Clarke denied that current HGV driver shortage had been exacerbated by Brexit.

The minister told Sky this morning that the fuel crisis was “under control.”

“I really don’t accept that,” he told the BBC’s Today Programme

“We have a problem that we need to fix... but one that is shared by other European countries, too. The idea that this is about Brexit is to try and take us back into what is really quite a negative conversation about opportunities forgone when, if you look at the situation in...(Europe), they share these problems.”

Mr Clarke said the issue is not a “Brexit conversation” but one about training and skills.

Armed forces can’t protect us if they are bailing out civil life’ ex UK Joint Forces Command head General Sir Richard Barrons says

10:26 , Thomas Kingsley

The former UK Joint Forces Command head, Sir Richard Barrons said the Armed Forces can’t remain ready to protect the nation if “they are bailing out civil life.”

Sir Barrons added that the civil service was better at making policy than executing it and called for further development of the civil service.

Speaking to Talk Radio the former general said supply chains in the UK can’t cope with shock, such as that brought on by the fuel crisis.

The army have been on standby to provide support in the ongoing fuel crisis, business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng confirmed.

‘Panic buying is underpinned by the fear of scarcity,’ psychologists say

10:13 , Thomas Kingsley

“Fear of scarcity” is the main driver behind panic buying as drivers try to “gain control,” psychologists say.

The petrol crisis has been characterised by panic buying of fuel as videos circulate showing motorists filling plastic bags with petrol.

“The motivation is for us to panic buy in order feel as though we are back in control of the situation,” Dr Gregory Warwick, chartered psychologist at Quest Psychology Services said.

Katie Wright has the full story:

Psychologists explain why drivers are panic buying fuel

Starmer tells PM: Give health and care workers priority at pumps

10:01 , Thomas Kingsley

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has called on the government to give health and care workers priority at petrol pumps as fuel shortages continue to cause disruption.

The call comes as Labour warned that patients could die if doctors and nurses are delayed by queues.

The Queen’s Nursing Institute also wrote a letter to the Prime Minister warning that “patients are at risk of being left without the care they need, at the time they need it.”

Calling for health and care staff to be prioritised for fuel, chief executive Crystal Oldman added: “Without the necessary actions, we believe the pressure on hospital services will inevitably increase, as health and care services for patients at home will be compromised.”

Our political editor, Andrew Woodcock, has the full story below:

Starmer tells PM: Give health and care workers priority at pumps

Nigel Farage car ‘hit by van’ whilst searching for petrol

09:44 , Thomas Kingsley

Nigel Farage said his car was hit by a van during his search for petrol today.

The former Brexit Party leader took to Twitter to question the government’s statement that shortages are easing amid his struggles to get fuel.

He wrote: “The government tell us that the fuel crisis is easing...

“I went to seven petrol stations this morning and there was no fuel at any of them.”

The GB News presenter previously called on the DVSA to work “overtime” to get more HGV drivers on the road.

You can hear the beeping and blaring of horns from furious drivers trapped in cars, HGVs, lorries and vans

09:34 , Thomas Kingsley

Environmentalist group Insulate Britain has again blocked the the M25 with police attending the motorway near Thurrock to unglue protesters.

Beeping and blaring horns of HGVs, lorries and vans can be heard amid the disruption, LBC reported. The protest comes as fuel and general haulage deliveries have reduced significantly leading to shortages across supermarkets and forecourts.

The group continue their demonstrations despite a court injunction that could see protesters face jail for motorway demonstrations.

Brexit a ‘contributing factor’ in current fuel crisis, Keir Starmer says

09:22 , Thomas Kingsley

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said Brexit is a “contributing factor” in the ongoing fuel crisis gripping Britain.

Speaking on the BBC Radio 4 Today programme he said: “It is certainly a contributing factor.

“Whether you voted to leave or remain, it would be obvious that if we were to leave the EU we would have less HGV drivers than we would otherwise have.

“I think the British public should be angry and frustrated. This is a total lack of planning. It was predicted and predictable.”

This comes after Sir Starmer’s 90-minute speech at the Labour conference yesterday where he pushed through hecklers to share his vision for an election winning party.

Forecourt giant announces 5 per cent pay rise for workers

09:11 , Thomas Kingsley

Forecourt giant EG Group has announced a 5 per cent pay rise for more than 10,000 workers facing challenging conditions amid the UK’s fuel supply crisis.

The company, which owns around 400 sites across the UK, said it will increase hourly rates by an average of more than 5 per cent for employees over 18-years-old, with workers to expect a pay boost from Friday.

EG said on Thursday that the pay rise for employees is in “recognition of their hard work and commitment throughout the pandemic.”

Mohsin and Zuber Issa, co-founders and CEOs of EG Group, said: “Our colleagues have pulled out all the stops and been nothing short of heroic during often very difficult times since the start of the pandemic.”

Transport secretary reveals full ‘24 interventions’ to tackle shortages

09:00 , Thomas Kingsley

Transport secretary Grant Shapps shared a 24-point list of government interventions to address the lorry driver shortage and resulting fuel supply crisis.

The list includes the recently announced three-month visa for 5,000 HGV drivers to work in the UK in the run-up to Christmas in addition to incentives for employers recruiting trainee drivers, additional funding from the Department for Education to train new drivers and “direct letters” to existing HGV license holders asking them to return.

In the post shared on Twitter, Mr Shapps wrote: “Coronavirus has caused a global shortage in HGV drivers globally.”

Man dead after ‘serious assault’ at petrol station as police arrest 15-year-old boy

08:47 , Thomas Kingsley

A 40-year-old man has died following an assault at a petrol station in Annfield Plain, County Durham.

The 40-year-old, named by police as Thomas Mallaby, was allegedly assaulted as the petrol station on Sunday, 26 September at 2.40am and was taken to hospital with serious injuries, The Daily Record reported.

However, police reported that he died as a result of his injuries on Tuesday afternoon. A 15-year-old boy was arrested in connection with the incident.

Detective Superintendent Dave Ashton, who is leading the investigation said the issue “was not connected in any way to the current issues of fuel shortages” although it occurred in a station forecourt.

Petrol shortages ‘under control’ say government minister

08:27 , Thomas Kingsley

Britain’s fuel crisis is back under control and will continue to ease, Chief Secretary to the Treasury Simon Clarke said on Thursday.

“That crisis is now absolutely something which is back under control,” Clarke told Sky.

This comes as business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng announced yesterday that the government was sending out vehicles from its reserve tanker fleet, driven by civilian drivers, to provide “additional logistical capacity” to the industry.

Altogether 150 military drivers, together with 150 drivers’ mates, have been on standby since Monday to carry out deliveries to filling stations.

Figures from the Department for Transport have shown there is a backlog of more than 56,000 applications for vocational driving licences, including HGV and bus permits, waiting to be processed.

Petrol station workers subjected to ‘high level’ of physical and verbal abuse

08:23 , Thomas Kingsley

Petrol Retailers Association boss, Godon Balmer said forecourt staff were being subject to unacceptable abuse from frustrated motorists.

“There are encouraging signs that the crisis at the pumps is easing, with forecourts reporting that they are taking further deliveries of fuel,” he said in a statement.

“However, we are extremely disappointed to hear many forecourt staff are experiencing a high level of both verbal and physical abuse, which is completely unacceptable.”

His warning comes amid reports of fights breaking out on forecourts with, in one case, footage appearing on social media of a man wielding a knife, as tempers boiled over during long waits to fill up.

Dominic Raab suggests ex-prisoners can drive tankers

08:18 , Thomas Kingsley

Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab has suggested offenders who have been given community sentences could be used to address the country’s lack of HGV drivers amid continuing concerns about fuel shortages.

Mr Raab, who was made Justice Secretary in Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s recent ministerial reshuffle, has dismissed Labour’s call for 100,000 migrant visas to be issued to provide sufficient drivers.

The former Foreign Secretary said the move would leave the country reliant in the long term on labour coming from abroad, and instead suggested the gap could be filled in another way.

Good Morning

08:03 , Thomas Kingsley

Good morning and welcome to The Independent’s coverage of the petrol shortage crisis. Follow this blog for regular updates on the topic.