With only a short time remaining until the end of the Brexit transition period on 31 December, business group Logistics UK has reacted with incredulity at the UK government’s announcement of a Business Task Force to help firms prepare for the UK's final break with the EU, at such a late stage in the process.

David Wells, Chief Executive of Logistics UK, which represents more than 18,000 transport businesses said, “At this point in time, business needs direction and decisions by government, not another set of meetings. With information still needed from government and decisions required on GB-NI trade, this feels like nothing more than a smokescreen to cover up the government’s lack of focus on the issues, which will hit the UK hard come 1 January, 2021.”

David continued, “Logistics businesses have been engaging closely with government since the election last December to clarify the supply chain issues which will ultimately affect us all. After a year of raising our concerns with government, this new task force feels like nothing more than a diversionary tactic to conceal the administration’s failure to grasp the issues which we and our members have been raising with them for nearly 12 months.  Logistics businesses remain committed to making Brexit work for the good of the nation, but at this late stage, government needs to face up to the complexity of the challenges our sector faces to keep Britain trading from the new year.”

Logistics UK (formerly FTA) is one of the UK’s leading business groups, representing logistics businesses which are vital to keeping the UK trading, and more than seven million people directly employed in the making, selling and movement of goods.

Photo: David Wells