Politics

Boris sends in the Army to mass test 1,500 lorry drivers stranded in Kent as EU demands France back down over blockade


BORIS Johnson will send in the army to mass test 1,500 lorry drivers trapped in the queue chaos at Kent to try and unlock the French border blockade.

A breakthrough deal to secure safe passage for the hundreds of hauliers could be just hours away, as the EU Commission demanded Emmanuel Macron stand down and let trucks cross the border.

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Hundreds of lorries trapped in Kent were forced to park at Manston airport to ease the chaos

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Hundreds of lorries trapped in Kent were forced to park at Manston airport to ease the chaosCredit: London News Pictures
Military personnel arrive at Manston airport

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Military personnel arrive at Manston airportCredit: UKNIP
Aerial footage reveals the extent of the queue nightmare in Kent

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Aerial footage reveals the extent of the queue nightmare in KentCredit: London News Pictures
Priti Patel said mass testing would be the "way forward" to ease the border blockade

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Priti Patel said mass testing would be the “way forward” to ease the border blockade

Government sources say Mr Macron has accepted Britain’s offer to test truckers with the lateral flow tests, which can deliver results within an hour. 

The agreement, which is expected to be confirmed this afternoon, will unblock travel with France after 48 hours of chaos at the border. 

The EU Commission issued a stinging rebuke to the French president today, saying his reaction to the new Covid strain has been over the top. 

In a recommendation requested by all 27 European capitals it said rapid testing should be deployed at ports and airports as proposed by No 10. 

It added: “Any prohibition of transport services, such as flight or train bans, should be discontinued.” 

The recommendations are not legally binding on Member States, which retain ultimate control over their own border measures. 

But they are designed to replace the patchwork of different restrictions capitals slapped on Britain in a panicked response to the mutant strain. 

In a direct reference to France, the measures say testing of freight workers should “not lead to any transport disruptions”. 

Mr Macron had initially pushed for the deployment at ports of PCR tests, which are more accurate but take 24 hours to process. 

Eurocrats insisted “cargo flows need to continue uninterrupted, not least to ensure the timely distribution of COVID-19 vaccines”. 

The Commission said all non-essential travel to and from the UK should be discouraged until further notice. 

FIX IT NOW

And retail chiefs have warned that time is running short to sort out the crisis – and stores will start to run out of supplies unless the French back down by tomorrow.

France slammed their borders closed on Sunday night because of the super-spreading mutation of coronavirus which caused London and the South East of England to be thrown into Tier 4 lockdown.

This morning, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps issued a plea to hauliers to avoid the jam-packed crossing.

He wrote on Twitter: “A reminder to all hauliers that the French have not re-opened the border to France.

“Please do not travel to Kent as you will be unable to cross and may become stuck for longer.”

Ministers are looking at plans to test every single driver trying to make their way to France in an attempt to ease the pressure on the crossing.

Ms Patel said this morning there more than 650 lorries piled up on the M20, and a further 873 which have been pulled into Manston airport to stop the roads being completely blocked by trucks.

It’s a massive jump from the 170 lorries Boris Johnson said were still stuck waiting to cross at Dover yesterday.

The Home Secretary told BBC Radio 4: “I think it’s important to recognise that the numbers fluctuate.”

She said while discussions are “underway” with the French, to try and force them to open up the border, Ms Patel refused to say whether there was a chance the chaos could be eased today.

Getting drivers’ tested would be a priority to unblock the roads, Ms Patel said.

But French President Emmanual Macron has demanded PCR tests be used rather than the rapid-result lateral flow tests, meaning it could be days before the trucks could start to move again.

“Discussions about the type of testing will be very much (underway), those types of discussions will take place between Transport Secretaries here and in Paris.

“It’s quite clear, we ask passengers to take tests before they get on airplanes, it’s quite clear that mass testing and testing is the way forward.

“So we will find pro-active and productive ways, which, if we have to introduce testing, to make sure that happens.”

It comes as

The Home Secretary stressed fresh fruit was coming in through other routes across the UK as panicked retail bosses called for the blockade to be eased today.

Director of food and sustainability at the British Retail Consortium Andrew Opie warned the mayhem must be sorted out by Wednesday to avoid disruption.

He told BBC Radio 4 that “borders really need to be running pretty much freely from tomorrow to assure us that there won’t be any disruption.”

He said this morning: “There is a problem potentially directly after Christmas and that is really in fresh produce, so we’re talking here about things like salad, vegetables, fresh fruit, of which the vast majority come from Europe at this time.”

Mr Opie said many of the lorries stuck in Kent are empty and need to return to places like Spain to pick up the next load of fresh food such as strawberries and raspberries.

“They need to get back within the next day or so, otherwise we will see disruption,” he said.

He added: “As long as it can be cleared today, there’ll be minimal impact for consumers … but those lorries that are stuck in Kent, they do need to get back within the next day.”

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Transport Secretary Grant Shapps says Covid border shutdown proves Britain’s ready for No Deal Brexit





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