• Privacy policy
  • T&C’s
  • About Us
    • FAQ
    • Meet the Team
  • Contact us
TLE ONLINE SHOP!
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Opinion
  • Elevenses
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • Film
    • Lifestyle
      • Horoscopes
    • Lottery Results
      • Lotto
      • Thunderball
      • Set For Life
      • EuroMillions
  • Food
    • All Food
    • Recipes
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech/Auto
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
SUPPORT THE LONDON ECONOMIC
NEWSLETTER
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Opinion
  • Elevenses
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • Film
    • Lifestyle
      • Horoscopes
    • Lottery Results
      • Lotto
      • Thunderball
      • Set For Life
      • EuroMillions
  • Food
    • All Food
    • Recipes
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech/Auto
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
No Result
View All Result
Home Politics

Minister claims there are shortages ‘across Europe’. Europeans disagree.

Simon Clarke - a Treasury minister - claimed there were shortages all over Europe. Europeans aren't so sure.

Andra Maciuca by Andra Maciuca
2021-09-30 16:54
in Politics
Simon Clarke

Simon Clarke. Photo: UK Parliament

FacebookTwitterLinkedinEmailWhatsapp

Europeans have dismissed a minister’s claim that crippling fuel shortages are being experienced across Europe.

Speaking to the BBC’s Today programme on Thursday morning, Simon Clarke – senior Treasury minister – said: “The idea that this is just a British problem is fundamentally wrong.“

He claimed the problem of lorry drivers shortages hitting petrol supplies has been encountered across Europe. “We have a problem that we need to fix, but one that is shared by other European countries too,” Clarke said, batting away “the idea that this is about Brexit”.

But Mihai Cercel, an HGV company manager in Romania, told The London Economic: “I didn’t have any problems with fuel shortages. I also haven’t heard of anyone having these problems. We don’t have such problems in Romania.”

And doctor Alexandru Baicoianu, also in Romania, told TLE: “Fuel problems? There’s no such thing in Romania. In the past months, I have never felt like there is any kind of shortage of fuel anywhere in Romania. Neither have I felt that when I traveled to Bulgaria and Greece.”

Jorge Navalon, a software consultant in Spain, added: “There hasn’t been a single piece of news about shortages here, the only images we get are from the UK.

“Gas prices are more or less what they were before the shortages in the UK, but there are no queues of people trying to get gas like what you see in the news about the UK.”

RelatedPosts

Cost of living: Eye-watering figure MPs pocket in ‘second jobs’ revealed

Internet poet gives ‘If’ a Downing Street party remix

Progressive alliance would hand Labour a MASSIVE majority in parliament

Good Law Project to pursue legal action against Met Police following Partygate picture leak

Brexit to blame?

It comes as Grant Shapps – the transport secretary – admitted yesterday that Brexit was a “factor” in fuel shortages, after previously claiming that people blaming Brexit for problems at the pumps are “wrong”. 

Although he continues to insist that the pandemic is the main cause of the crisis, Shapps said that Britain’s divorce from Brussels “no doubt will have been a factor”.

But, he added: “On the other hand, it has actually helped us to change rules to be able to test more drivers more quickly. So it has actually worked in both ways.”

But Labour’s shadow chancellor David Lammy told Shapps that shortages of staff, skills and supplies happened “largely because of promises the Conservative Party made on Brexit, which have not been delivered”. 

Meanwhile, the EU’s former chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier said fuel shortages in the UK are a “direct consequence” of Brexit.

It comes as the government announced over the weekend that it will allow 5,000 lorry drivers from abroad to come help the UK, but only until Christmas. 

But EU lorry drivers have rejected calls for them to come and work in the UK.  George Mihulecea from Bucharest, Romania, said “most of the drivers left because of work condition reasons” and that it is not “worth it anymore” to come to the UK. 

Related: Government asks winery manager with a motorhome to become HGV driver

Tags: Brexit

Since you are here

Since you are here, we wanted to ask for your help.

Journalism in Britain is under threat. The government is becoming increasingly authoritarian and our media is run by a handful of billionaires, most of whom reside overseas and all of them have strong political allegiances and financial motivations.

Our mission is to hold the powerful to account. It is vital that free media is allowed to exist to expose hypocrisy, corruption, wrongdoing and abuse of power. But we can't do it without you.

If you can afford to contribute a small donation to the site it will help us to continue our work in the best interests of the public. We only ask you to donate what you can afford, with an option to cancel your subscription at any point.

To donate or subscribe to The London Economic, click here.

The TLE shop is also now open, with all profits going to supporting our work.

The shop can be found here.

You can also SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER .

Subscribe to our Newsletter

View our  Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions

Trending on TLE

  • All
  • trending
Abdollah

‘Rescue us’: Afghan teacher begs UK to help him escape Taliban

CHOMSKY: “If Corbyn had been elected, Britain would be pursuing a much more sane course”

What If We Got Rid Of Prisons?

More from TLE

‘He hasn’t got anything right’ as protestors chant ‘Get Gav gone’

Vegan and farmed animal charities come together to build a stronger, more united movement

Fracking approval in N.Yorks could be unlawful, say campaigners

Billionaire who DIDN’T want a spaceport loses legal bid to stop it

Researchers urge delaying second Pfizer jab in boost to UK vaccine strategy

Major victory for women in Saudi Arabia, but women and girls still need more protections.

Gamer celebrated in virtual funeral after dying from COVID-19

Watch: Anti-vax protesters trying to storm into BBC London studios – they barely use – clash with police

Pest control experts warned of ‘plague’ of super rats immune from posion invading homes

“Kangaroo care” for newborns linked to rise in superbugs

About Us

TheLondonEconomic.com – Open, accessible and accountable news, sport, culture and lifestyle.

Read more

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.




No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Food
  • Travel
  • More…
    • Elevenses
    • Opinion
    • Property
    • Tech & Auto
  • About Us
    • Meet the Team
    • Privacy policy
  • Contact us

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.