'This is not Cuba!': David Lammy's damning take on the UK fuel crisis

2 October 2021, 20:28

David Lammy addresses the fuel crisis.

This was David Lammy's damning take on the UK's fuel crisis, as he blamed Boris Johnson for being "useless" and unable to "see around a corner" or "plan for a crisis".

The conversation comes as industry leaders have warned the fuel supply is “getting worse” in London and the South-East of England as panic-buyers continue to leave forecourts dry and the army is drafted in to drive tankers.

Soldiers will start delivering petrol to forecourts across the UK from Monday in a drastic bid to end the chaos that has overwhelmed pumps over the last week, caused by a shortage of HGV drivers in a post-Brexit Britain.

David said: "This is not Cuba. Why can we not get petrol in this country?

"They're not queuing in Germany, they're not queuing in Spain, they're not queuing in France, despite the problems of lorry drivers across Europe, so what's the difference here?

"The difference is Boris Johnson who's useless, who can't see around a corner, who can't plan for a crisis.

Ex-Petrol tanker driver: 'I earn more money doing Uber Eats.'

"It's one thing to say let's get Brexit done, but what about let's make Brexit work? Where was Boris' plan? He had no plan."

Read more: Boris sends in the army to transport fuel to petrol stations amid HGV driver shortage

David continued: "We left the customs union. Why would you come to this country if you can go to Spain or Germany without any hassle? If the just-in-time means you're not just bringing stuff, you're taking stuff back.

"Why would you come if you're now paying tariffs?"

On the government's pledge to introduce 5,000 visas for HGV drivers, David asked "how is that going to make a difference, when we need 100,000?"

Read more: Haulage industry has 'serious measure of blame' for HGV shortage, Iain Duncan Smith says