Three days ago, in the midst of our on-going fuel crisis, Location Location Location presenter, Kirstie Allsopp, ran out of fuel and had to abandon her car.
How did we get here?
Some might ask how our once-great nation got to this state. Of course, it is nothing to do with leaving the EU. Politicians have queued up to point to similar problems on the continent, although no journalist who looked could find any evidence of this.
On the same day, it emerged that just 27 HGV drivers had been recruited (or was it 127?) to the government’s temporary visa scheme.
Let’s not get into the 27 v 127 thing. Whichever it is, it’s some way off the 100,000 drivers that the UK actually needs. This crisis is not going anywhere soon, even if the army can solve the immediate fuel shortages. But Johnson continues with his fantasies of the Great British boom and his claims that the supply chain problems are indeed caused “very largely by the strength of the economic recovery.”
Tell that to the businesses setting up EU satellite offices, moving operations to the EU or even closing down altogether, Prime Minister.
The continued fuel crisis, together with the huge rises in electricity, fuel and food prices, is already being called this generation’s very own Winter of Discontent. It will be interesting to see how people cope with bins not being collected for weeks due to Johnson’s so-called economic recovery.
Fill up on sovereignty
Kirstie Allsop is clearly unimpressed. After running dry near High Wycombe, she took to Twitter and told her 425,000 followers:
Needless to say, given Kirstie Allsopp’s well-known political views, Twitter users responded with delighted schadenfreude – adding fuel to the fire!
Let’s kick off with an obvious one from Benny.
Others asked why she did she not simply fill up on sovereignty.
Some were keen to remind her of past glories.
No end in sight
Unfortunately, there is no sense this will end soon. This week has seen the start of a cull that may finish with as many as 120,00 pigs being needlessly slaughtered. Brexit Johnson seems to find this funny. “I hate to break it to you,” he told Andrew Marr, “but our food processing industry does involve killing a lot of animals.”
The ‘experts’ were not impressed. The National Farmers’ Union President, Minette Batters responded on Radio 4 “We have never had a cull of healthy livestock in this country… this cannot be a first.” The Prime Minister doesn’t care, he hasn’t listened to experts for years.
It seems like Project Fear is far worse than predicted. Of course, things are not helped by a world wide pandemic but we can all see what is and isn’t happening in the supermarkets and petrol stations of Germany and France.
Comic relief
Still, at least Kirstie has provided a bit of comedy for the Germans and many others around the world.
So, thanks for that.
More from Central Bylines
- Shit creek – Britain’s supply chain crisis is polluting our rivers
- Brexit bingo: Operation Yellowhammer’s full house
- Britain’s supply chain crisis – the battle for our booze
