Crippling shortages of fuel and medicines could hit households within weeks because No 10 is too distracted by Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership crisis to deal properly with the impact of the Iran conflict, senior Government sources have said.
With supply lines coming under increasing strain because of the blocking of the Strait of Hormuz, senior civil servants have been urging No 10 to ‘level with the public’ about the likely impacts if the war runs on into the summer.
One source involved in emergency contingency planning told The Mail on Sunday that airlines can only maintain their current level of consumption for another three weeks as their stockpiles dwindle. As a result the companies are not adding the extra UK flights which normally fill the schedules for the summer season.
The source said: ‘Downing Street should be gripping this, levelling with the public about the sacrifices which might have to be made and raising the prospect of rationing without triggering panic. Instead it is fixated on whether Starmer can survive as PM’.
The supply crisis has already led to a surge in the prices of key NHS medicines taken by millions of people, including cancer drugs, steroids and medicines taken for blood pressure.
Some pharmacies have seen prices rise by as much as 11-fold since February. Food prices are also likely to rise across the board.
Sir Keir, who will lead the Government’s Middle East Response Committee on Tuesday, has tasked one of his few remaining allies, Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister Darren Jones, with co-ordinating ‘cross-government planning’ to ‘bring relevant departments together twice a week to scrutinise their plans and support our supply chains to remain resilient’.
So far, the Government’s response has been restricted to lowering the energy price cap, increasing CO2 production, improving the efficiency of expensive importer fertilisers and ‘working with industry to monitor jet fuel stocks’.
Senior Government sources have said shortages of fuel and medicines could hit households within weeks because No 10 is too distracted by Sir Keir Starmer ’s leadership crisis to deal with the impact of the Iran conflict
One source involved in emergency contingency planning told The Mail on Sunday that airlines can only maintain their current level of consumption for another three weeks as their stockpiles dwindle
Ministers have also supplied tools to help drivers to find the cheapest prices on the forecourt and assisting the poorest households with the cost of heating oil. Ministers stress shipments of jet fuel are continuing to arrive in the UK – although Whitehall sources claim supplies are being used up faster than they can be replaced.
Sources say they are also keen for people to ‘carry on filling up and using their cars as normal’ to avoid triggering panic-buying.
Mr Jones said: ‘This is not our war. The Government made the right call to stay out of the conflict and only take defensive action to protect Britain’s interests.
‘We’re acting now to prepare for, and mitigate where possible, the impact on our economy and domestic security as a result of the conflict.
‘The Prime Minister wants to see a toll-free Strait of Hormuz reopened as soon as possible.
‘The UK is working tirelessly with our international partners to find a permanent solution to this crisis and minimise the knock-on impact to households.
‘We will always put the British people’s interests first and the Prime Minister will [be chairman of] a cross-government meeting next week to drive forward these preparations’.