Brits start to suffer the consequences of Brexit in unexpected ways

It is the delicate chain that moves the economy, if one link suffers, the others start to malfunction. This is what is happening in Britain right now, Brexit migration restrictions cause labor shortages in key sectors. There are not enough truckers to transport the fuel, more than 2,000 gas stations were left with nothing to offer and the rest of the business is starting to suffer. Pigs cannot be sent to butchers and farms have to slaughter them en masse. Supermarkets already have those dreaded productless gaps between the shelves. And pharmacies cannot replace the drugs they sell. The traders’ associations warn that if this situation continues for another ten days, there will not be enough supplies for the holiday season. The British experience first-hand what it means to leave the European Union.

Boris Johnson’s government says it’s all down to a race by consumers due to the spread of fake news on social media. Treasury Secretary Simon Clarke told Sky News that the number of gas stations with supplies is growing rapidly and that if people “just shop normally” the problem will be corrected. The British pharmacy group, the Company Chemist’s Association (CCA), sees it differently: “The entire supply chain is impacted by the lack of fuel, from entry into department stores and warehouses to distribution. to retail store customers ”. The huge fuel lines are real too, especially in London. The UK Gas Station Association (PRA), which represents 65% of the 8,400 “service stations” spread across the country, says that “very slowly becomes normal.” But last night, 30% of the pumps were dry and 21% could only offer poor quality diesel. Deposits from gas stations are at 20% while the annual average is 43%. And there is also a geographical difference in the problem. The shortage is almost total in the south of the country and in London, while the situation improves by traveling to the north of the island, Northern Ireland or Scotland.

Britain’s exit from the European Union has exacerbated the labor shortage, but the situation of the truckers’ union is very special. It’s a very strong union, workers stay in their jobs for decades and there is very little turnover. The Road Haulage Association of Trucking Operators believes that Britain faces 100,000 driver deficit. About 20% of them are drivers who left the country after Brexit. The government has taken extraordinary measures in the last few hours to try to get these truckers back. This has increased the number of hours they can work each day and made the authorization process faster. Also offered 5,000 three-month work visas and suspended regulations that prevent oil companies from coordinating deliveries.

Labor opposition leader Keir Starmer has accused Prime Minister Johnson of lack of planning in replacing workers who have had to leave as a result of Brexit. And he said the country was on the verge of a shortage of qualified personnel in a number of other industries. Alarms have already been sounded in the hotel, social assistance and food production sectors. All of these companies have hired immigrant workers from northern European countries, as well as Russians, Central Africans and survivors of the war in Syria. It was cheap and skilled labor. With the departure of the EU, it was much more difficult for everyone to enter Britain and companies could not replace them with young British workers. “The Conservative government is absolutely confused: it is trying to end one problem and another is popping up elsewhere. And this is it a pathetic and regrettable lack of planning“said Labor Starmer.

Entrepreneurs and traders start to get nervous as the peak sales season approaches. The British Retailers Association (BRC) had already warned, at the outbreak of the trucker crisis, that “if a solution was not found within the next ten days, an increase in problems for Christmas would be inevitable”. Economic analyst Clive Black told The Times he anticipates disaster for December: “Christmas is going to be a nightmare for consumers. There will be food on the supermarket shelves, but with a dearth of options. Lack of workers means the farms haven’t raised enough turkeys and the farms don’t have enough crops. And all of this has been exacerbated by the truck driver crisis. “

Just in case, the government of 10 Downing St. already ordered the intervention of the army if the situation worsens. The fleet of military reserve tankers will deliver fuel in the coming days to alleviate the shortage. And Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said the alternative could be extended to other industries if necessary. Meanwhile, statements from taxi drivers and restaurateurs are appearing in the British press that say they increasingly regret having voted yes to Brexit.

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