David Lammy: 'Clearly we are heading for a winter of discontent'

25 September 2021, 21:22

David Lammy: 'Clearly we are heading for a winter of discontent.'

By Tim Dodd

This was David Lammy's rant on the "winter of discontent" the UK is "clearly" heading for, amid a surge in gas prices and a shortage of lorry drivers.

It comes as a £30 cap was introduced at hundreds of gridlocked petrol stations, with desperate motorists pictured filling jerry cans with fuel as fears continue over the UK's lorry driver shortage.

David said: "Let's be clear. Yes the debate today is about HGV drivers and where they're going to come from and therefore how we get supplies into our supermarkets.

"But let's be clear, we've got a shortage of fruit pickers in this country, we've got a shortage in construction and building in this country... We've got skills shortages across catering... We've got a shortage of carers in this country.

"By the way - we have a shortage of GPs in this country, hence you can't get an appointment to see your GP!"

Read more: Govt looking at temporary visas for lorry drivers as panic-buyers gridlock petrol stations

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He continued: "We exited the European Union on a poor deal. We said it was a poor deal at the time. We've got to hold this government to account, now we are reaping the whirlwind.

"As we head to this winter, clearly we are in a winter of discontent. Clearly.

"Are we going to be able to get turkeys for our Christmas dinner? It's that bad."

Read more: Soldiers on standby: Shapps won't rule out using army to drive lorries in shortage crisis

Read more: Hundreds of thousands of people not using their HGV licenses, says Minister