Coronavirus LIVE: Warnings over panic-buying amid fears over shortage of food supplies

Food and Drink Federation chief executive Ian Wright told BBC Breakfast on Monday however said there is “concern” around food supplies in the longer term, particularly after Christmas.

He said: “The problem is the return journey of drivers coming to the UK. If they cannot be guaranteed either that they will get out of the UK because of the congestion or that they will be able to secure a return journey full of whatever product it is, that’s going to make it much more unlikely for them to come in the first place.

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“And, over time, because the transport system requires these round trips, that will reduce the ability of us to bring food into the country after Christmas if that takes effect.

“We need a pragmatic solution that gets drivers across the border and into the UK by whatever route in exactly the same way we had throughout the lockdown in March and in the earlier part of the year.”

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A new and more aggressive mutated strain of Covid-19 has been identified across the South East of England and in response, numerous European countries have now banned travel from the UK.

The fast-moving new variant of the Covid-19 is thought to be 70 per cent more transmissible than existing strains, and appears to be the cause of a rapid spread of new coronavirus infections in the UK.

Prime Minister Baris Johnson is due to hold emergency talks on the travel bans today (December 21).

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In these confusing and worrying times, local journalism is more vital than ever. Thanks to everyone who helps us ask the questions that matter by taking out a digital subscription or buying a paper. We stand together. Nancy Fielder, editor.