Soldiers in camouflage uniforms were spotted at a refinery north of London on Monday. A total of 200 troops are expected to take part in “Operation Eskelin” aimed at overcoming the shortage of lorry delivery drivers after Brexit. They are used in London and the south of England, a government spokesman said.
The Petrol Station Association welcomes “Operation Eskelin”
The Petrol Station Association PRA welcomed the military action, but warned that soldiers could not fully compensate for the shortage of truck drivers. There were long queues at British petrol stations for two weeks due to supply problems, and some petrol stations ran out of gas.
In London and the southeastern metropolitan areas, one of the five petrol stations was still on dry land, according to PRA boss Brian Maderson. There were also rows of cars in front of the gas pumps on Monday. In other parts of the country, the supply crisis is “practically over,” Maderson said.
The government sees the shortage of truck drivers as a global problem
Critics blame Boris Johnson’s government for the crisis, which failed to make up for the loss of foreign truck drivers after Brexit. However, it denies that driver shortages are the aftermath of Brexit, but speaks of a global problem.
The Conservative ruling party is currently holding its party convention in Manchester, north England. Johnson defended a tough immigration policy on Sunday – although his government has now announced a temporary work permit for 5,000 foreign drivers and a 5,000 labor shortage for poultry workers. Johnson spoke of “adjustment time” and called on employers to pay higher wages instead of “uncontrolled mass migration.”
Pig farmers have to kill their own animals
On Monday, pig farmers protested near the Manchester Convention Center, some dressed as pigs. They opposed the shortage of meat, which could not be taken to the slaughterhouse or kept in crowded facilities. “We made this decision and it is a crime to kill healthy animals that end up in the trash,” said pig farmer Vicky Scott. “The government does not seem to understand the problem,” he said.
When asked about the labor shortage, Finance Minister Rishi Sunak told the BBC on Monday that “we are doing everything we can to alleviate the problems.” However, he controlled: “We can not shake a magic wand and the global supply chain problems will disappear overnight”. Accordingly, many stores may still have empty shelves during the winter months.
To offset the consequences of the suspension of short-term work benefits, the ruling party on Monday announced a 500 500 million (80 580 million) re-training program for older and younger workers. It is intended for people who will lose their jobs after state pay assistance ends this week.
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