British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will chair a meeting of the government’s emergency committee after France closed its borders to the UK to halt the spread of a new strain of coronavirus circulating in London and the south-east England.
The COBRA civil casualty committee meeting later on Monday comes amid warnings of “major unrest” around English Channel ports, with traffic reserves stretching miles into eastern county- south of England in Kent.
Freight disruption has erupted after France closed its borders for 48 hours, meaning lorries could not cross the English Channel by boat. The government has urged everyone to avoid traveling to Kent, which hosts many of the cross-channel ports, especially at Dover. Eurotunnel has also canceled services.
“Sick Man of Europe”, the Daily Mirror newspaper said on its front page next to a picture of Johnson while the Sun newspaper said: “French show no merci”.
The closure of the English Channel and ports for onward travel to France will affect the export of goods such as fish and shellfish from Scotland to Europe, and the importation of food for British supermarkets if European drivers refuse to travel, as would be expected.
British supermarket chain Sainsbury’s warned on Monday that gaps will appear on shelves within days if transport links with mainland Europe are not quickly restored.
“If nothing changes, we will start to see gaps over the next few days on lettuce, some salad leaves, carrots, broccoli and citrus fruits – they are all imported from the mainland at the this time of year, “Sainsbury ‘s said.
They urged the British and French governments to reach a mutually agreeable solution which prioritises the immediate transfer of produce and any other food at the ports.
Mujtaba Rahman, European managing director of political risk advisory firm Eurasia Group, said action on the continent was driven by “grave concern” about the strength of the new virus.
“Governments are tired and fat populations – and the last thing they want is to deal with a mutant strain of the virus,” Rahman told Al Jazeera. “For that reason, governments are very much against risk.”
Canada and Poland are among the newest countries to suspend travel from the UK, following the lead of many in Europe, including Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy and the Netherlands.
The moves come as a result of the news that Johnson sent on Saturday that he was putting London and the south-east of England in a new Tier 4 restriction level after scientists warned that the new variant of the coronavirus spreads much faster than existing series.
He said the new strain of the virus is 70 percent more mobile and is leading the rapid spread of new diseases. On Sunday, the UK registered a record 35,928 new infections.
While experts confirm that there is no evidence that the new strain is more lethal, it is inevitable that more cases will lead to more hospitalizations and subsequent virus-related deaths.
The new version contains 23 modifications, many of which relate to how it binds to and enters cells.
French ban on carriers
British Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said France’s ban on freight carriers was a “surprise” and that it was implementing contingency plans for Kent, including the opening of a truck park and providing ” benefit ”to some of those drivers out there.
“The Eurotunnel Kent Dover-to-Calais, which we call the short straits, accounts for about 20 per cent of goods going to and from, in and out of the country,” he told Sky News. “But it’s not the main way.” Most goods come in and out by vessels alone and these keep flowing. “
Shapps argued that the public would not notice any shortage “mainly” as a result of the truck ban, and that the supply of coronavirus vaccines would continue as they pass through unaffected vessels.
All this economic turmoil comes at a time of great uncertainty in the UK, less than two weeks before it leaves the EU market and customs union on 31 December.
Although the UK left the bloc on 31 January, it is in a period of transition that is effectively in compliance with EU rules until the end of this year. Talks on post-Brexit trade relations are still locked and are set to begin on Monday.
The British Retail Consortium has warned that closing traffic between France and the UK would create trade “problems” during the busy Christmas period.
Andrew Opie, BRC’s director of food and sustainability, said any long-term turmoil would be a problem in the run-up to the end of the Brexit transition period.
“While goods can be imported from France, few transport companies will be willing to send lorries and drivers across the UK without the guarantee that they can return to the EU in good time,” he said. e.
Rory Challands at Al Jazeera, reporting from Maidstone, in Kent, south-east England, said: “The UK feels a more lonely and isolated place than it did yesterday.
“Freight transport into France is currently severely hampered, only unlicensed goods can pass through… this will put many businesses, which are already trying to deal with what could be done. start unconditional Brexit in a very bad situation when it comes to referring to themselves and referring to the country with things like food.
“This is a very strong move as the emergency talks for Brexit enter their last days.
“There are people who say this means the UK should want to extend the transition period which ends at the end of the month.”