Christmas 2019 could be threatened if the Home Office goes ahead with proposals to reduce EU workers in the logistics sector, the Freight Transport Association has warned.
EU workers account for 13 per cent of HGV drivers and 26 per cent of warehouse workers. Proposals set out in a leaked Home Office document this week would end the free movement of labour immediately after Brexit and prevent all but the most highly-skilled EU workers from entering Britain.
James Hookham, the FTA’s deputy chief executive, said: “Who’s going to deliver Christmas 2019 without the EU drivers and warehouse staff? Logistics is so important to the British economy. If we want to Keep Britain Trading then we need to be finding ways to solve the existing skills shortage and not exacerbating the problem. Without these proposed restrictions there’s already an acute shortage of around 30,000 HGV drivers.”
