All ahead slow

The country, and Government, are learning what the effect of the double whammy of a labour shortage and a darth of raw materials can do to a recovering economy.

The country is grinding to a halt.

And at the same time, Brexiteers are denying the reality of a shortage of HGV drivers being as a result of Brexit and the refusal of the Government issuing emergency visas. Even if they had done, there is no guaranteee that many drivers would want to come and work on "plague island", with the memories of the referendum campaign and being imprisoned on Manston airpirport over Christmas.

The food industry is suggesting to the Home Office allow prisoners on day release to work in their factories.

Let's get this straight, such things would not be being considered in any normal country emerging from an economic downturn, whatever the cause.

I have been an HGV driver, and let me tell you, its not fun. Long hours, few places to rest and go to the toilet, having to pay to park for more than three hours, near minimum wage and hauliers having gotten used to charging foreign drivers "rent" to spend the night in their lorry's cab.

The simple fact is that the UK economy has survived and thrived for decades on EU labour, and it will deflate without it, as there is near full employment without them, and shortages on top. There will be shortages of drivers and in industry.

Currently there is a shortage of drivers, building materials and timber. Jools' employer can't get pallets, which was a know probable shortage for at least three years, and hasn't been dealt with, because it sounded like a made up crisis; project fear. But its real. And without pallets businesses can't get finished goods out the factory door to customers.