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Boris Johnson is holding emergency talks to avoid Christmas food shortages after France banned transport and travel from the UK.
The prime minister is chairing a Cobra crisis meeting of senior ministers and officials amid fears in Whitehall that some imported food products could be out of stock in as little as two weeks.
Johnson was forced to act after France and several other European countries responded to their COVID level 4 lockdown in south-east England by announcing a two-day travel ban from the UK.
Trucks start queuing on the M20 between Folkestone and Dover in the early hours of Monday
Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Ireland and Bulgaria have announced restrictions on travel to the UK, after the prime minister revealed that a highly infectious new strain of coronavirus has taken over the region.
The government’s biggest fear is that food supplies and even the COVID vaccine could be affected because French carriers will not travel to the UK if they cannot return home.
A spokesperson for Number 10 said the talks are “to discuss the situation with regard to international travel, in particular the constant flow of cargo in and out of the UK”, adding: “More meetings are taking place … to guarantee solid plans. “
Sky News understands that the government is tracking how many days of food are left on supermarket shelves, amid fears that if ports close for more than the current two days, some food will be out of stock in just a couple of weeks.
Amid reports of military aircraft ready to transport Pfizer vaccines from Belgium if necessary, Whitehall sources told Sky News that contingency measures are ready if necessary to ensure that vaccine shipments continue unhindered.
The government is also trying to avoid further traffic jams on the roads leading to the channel ports in Kent, which have already been crippled by COVID delays and delays in the Brexit transition period.
Transportation Secretary Grant Shapps said the government was waiting for significant disruption in Kent and urged hauliers and other road users not to travel to county ports or other routes to Europe until further notice.
Operation Pila was implemented after the closing of the Channel Tunnel and the Port of Dover, which means that trucks must queue on the M20 heading for the coast between Junctions 8 and 11 to avoid traffic jams. from Kent.
Rod McKenzie of the Road Transport Association told Sky News that 10,000 trucks a day crossed between Dover and Calais in France.
He added: “The gathering of Brexit is one thing, the Christmas fever is something else, but the absolute blow now is to close the borders for 48 hours.”
“That is a serious disruption to the entire important supply chain.”
The prime minister also faces fierce criticism from opposition politicians and some of his own senior MPs.
A big fear among many MPs is that after Health Secretary Matt Hancock said Sunday on Sky’s Sophy Ridge that the Level 4 crackdown could last for months, the travel ban could be just as long.
The Port of Dover has been closed after France introduced new restrictions
Leading an attack by the Conservatives, Mark Harper, who chairs the COVID Recovery Group of Conservative MPs, demanded a repeal of parliament, a Commons debate, and a vote on Level 4 measures.
“The serious situation that is developing as a result of the government’s announcement reinforces why parliament should be called upon to debate these issues and hold ministers to account on behalf of our constituents,” he said.
There is also alarm among Conservative MPs in Kent. Veteran North Thanet MP Sir Roger Gale protested: “Channel travel chaos. Don’t try to blame the Department of Transportation. It’s time for Number Ten and” CDL “(Michael Gove) to take control.”
After warnings of a “test day” ahead on county roads, Tonbridge and Malling MP and Foreign Affairs Select Committee Chairman Tom Tugendhat said ruefully: “This will be a very difficult time for all of us. “.
Shadow Cabinet Office Minister Rachel Reeves said: “The country needs to hear credible plans and reassurance that essential supplies will be protected, including our NHS, supermarkets and manufacturers with crucial supply chains.
“We cannot afford the same slowness that this government has shown during this pandemic. The prime minister must urgently explain what he is doing to control the situation.”
Shadow international trade minister Bill Esterson added: “Flights stopped. Ferry ports closed. Eurotunnel closed. If anyone had any doubts about the severity of this crisis, then wake up.”
As the travel chaos coincides with the latest deadlock in the Brexit trade talks in Brussels, there have also been calls from opposition politicians for an extension of the transition period, which will end on December 31.
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