07Sep 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Deploy the Army to get food onto shelves and avoid Christmas chaos

Deploy the Army to get food onto shelves and avoid Christmas chaos

Parliamentary news
The Liberal Democrats are calling on the Government to send in the Army to deliver food to supermarkets, as immigration chaos fuels a growing shortage of lorry drivers. The country has endured a summer of shortage chaos with empty supermarket shelves, restaurant food shortages, and even delays to flu jabs. The call from the Liberal Democrats comes as the Road Haulage Association warns of a shortage of 100,000 HGV drivers and the CBI have recently said there could be up to 2 years of Labour shortages. The Lib Dems have slammed the Government’s new immigration system, implemented in the middle of the Covid pandemic, which makes it impossible for employers to recruit lorry drivers, care workers and other key workers from overseas. Recent Home Office data shows that 20,000 fewer…
Read More
29Jun 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

New Trade and Agriculture Commission must be a “watchdog with teeth” – Farron

Parliamentary news
Responding to news that the Government will establish a new Trade and Agriculture Commission, Liberal Democrat Food and Rural Affairs spokesperson Tim Farron said: “On the face of it this is a very welcome concession from the Government and is thanks to the brilliant campaign run by the NFU that we’ve been proud to support. “However, the announcement contained no details about how this new commission will operate or how Parliament will be able to properly scrutinise any new trade deal and the effect it will have on our world-class food, animal welfare and environmental standards.  “This new body must be a watchdog with teeth that will prevent the Conservatives undermining British farmers, instead of a lapdog that provides cover for the Tories to sell us out in future trade deals.”
Read More