Rees-Mogg: Lorry driver shortages due to ‘covid-related disruptions’ not Brexit

Commons Leader Jacob Rees-Mogg told LBC the UK’s labour shortage is due to “disruptions” due to the effects of Covid, rather than Brexit or “European labour movements”.

LBC journalist Camilla Tominey asked Rees-Mogg whether the fuel crisis that has affected the UK in the past days is related to the “1.2 million workers” that have gone back home to EU countries.

Mr Rees-Mogg’s reply pointed at Covid as the main cause.

He said: “The lorry driver shortage is nothing to do with European labour movements. 89% of lorry drivers are UK born and bred in 2021, exactly the same level as in 2016.”