RHA refutes Shapps accusation

On Sky News Shapps blamed “one of the road haulage associations” for leaking details about heavy goods vehicle (HGV) driver shortages at fuel firms, saying that had “helped to spark a crisis” that had proved “very, very unhelpful”.

The RHA refuted the claim.

Its statement said: “Firstly, Rod McKenzie was not in the meeting where the BP issue was discussed.

“Secondly, he is not the source of the leak. The first he heard of the comments was when journalists rang him asking for comment after ITV News story had been broadcast. He was not, as the Government source claimed, “aware of the comments” and certainly did not “weaponise” them in subsequent TV interviews. Indeed he repeatedly stressed the need not to panic buy and that there were adequate fuel stocks.

“It is also completely untrue to say that the “RHA leaks every meeting we have with them”. The RHA believes this disgraceful attack on a member of its staff is an attempt to divert attention away from their recent handling of the driver shortage crisis.”

There has been a significant ratcheting up of tensions between industry and the Government in recent months, as both, arguably, try to pass the bulk of the cost for Brexit on to the other. See http://bit.ly/2LCNy8Y