Business

Sir Keir Starmer has called on the government to take “emergency action to get a grip” on the HGV driver shortage causing fuel and food shortages. The Labour leader said the prime minister needs to deploy the 150 army drivers that are on standby now to petrol stations across the UK after an independent fuel

Motorists could face another “week or so” of long queues at the filling stations, a minister has said, because of an “unprecedented demand” for petrol and diesel. Policing minister Kit Malthouse said on Friday if the crisis does not ease in the coming days, Boris Johnson stands ready to review the situation, which has been

Pre-departure tests for anyone travelling to the UK are being reintroduced as the government continues to gather information on the new Omicron COVID variant. The move coincides with Nigeria being placed on the red travel list – and represents the biggest change to the UK’s travel rules in quite some time. What’s the latest? All

The fuel crisis is “back under control” as more is now being delivered to petrol stations than is being sold, a minister has told Sky News. After days of long queues at petrol stations and with many running out of fuel, Simon Clarke, chief secretary to the Treasury, said the main message today is “there

The UK economy grew more strongly than previously thought in the second quarter as consumers curbed their savings to fuel a spending splurge. Gross domestic product (GDP) increased by 5.5% in the April-June period, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), which had initially estimated growth of 4.8%. It means that by the middle

Energy firm Igloo, along with two others, have confirmed they are ceasing to trade as the record surge in wholesale energy costs continue to take their toll on small suppliers. Industry regulator Ofgem said the customers of Igloo, Symbio Energy and ENSTROGA would be sheltered through the appointment of a new supplier in due course.

Retailer Next has called for the government to take a “more decisive” approach as it warned a lack of foreign workers could hamper Christmas shopping deliveries. The business, led by Conservative peer Lord Wolfson, suggested that after the “widely predicted” HGV driver shortage crisis it should act to avert further looming problems in areas such

Watching the queues outside petrol stations these past days, one cannot help but be reminded of another moment some years ago when people queued in their thousands in Britain’s high streets to withdraw a crucial resource: the bank run on Northern Rock in 2007. Indeed, there are at least three ways in which this episode

Oil prices have topped $80 a barrel for the first time in three years – likely to add to pressure on motorists when the higher cost filters through to pumps. Brent crude rose for a sixth day in a row as concerns over supply coincide with more countries, such as Japan, easing COVID-19 restrictions, which

Petrol retailers hoping for a return to normal after motorists drained pumps over the weekend have faced yet more forecourt queues – as parts of the economy started to feel the strain. In some areas, up to 90% of pumps ran dry, according to industry estimates – and there was little sign of the panic-buying

Brexit is “obviously a contributory factor” to the shortage of HGV drivers that is having a knock-on effect across the economy, the shadow chancellor has told Sky News. Speaking to Kay Burley from the Labour Party conference in Brighton, Rachel Reeves said: “To deny that I think flies in the face of reality. Fuel supply

IWG, the serviced offices giant behind Regus and Spaces, is exploring a multibillion pound break-up that would involve splitting it into several distinct companies. Sky News has learnt that Mark Dixon, IWG’s founder and chief executive, is in the early stages of examining a series of corporate actions that he believes would crystallise significant value

Panicked motorists have caused lengthy queues at petrol stations for a second day – as an industry expert predicted the “catastrophic situation” is going to get worse before it improves. Long lines of cars continued to form at forecourts across the country on Saturday after a shortage of HGV drivers forced some fuel retailers to

Panicked motorists have caused lengthy queues at petrol stations and caused some pumps to run dry – the latest consequence of a shortage of HGV drivers which is causing widespread disruption in the UK. The government insists the country has “ample fuel stocks” but it has not stopped long lines of cars forming after some

Octopus Energy is exploring a move to take control of Bulb, its rival challenger brand, amid the crisis in Britain’s residential energy market that has triggered a swathe of corporate casualties. Sky News has learnt that Octopus Energy is among the parties which have requested access to a data room set up by Bulb’s financial

Downing Street is on the brink of a U-turn which will allow overseas HGV drivers to plug the gaps causing emergency shortages, Sky News understands. Ministers met earlier for urgent talks on how to address the shortage – which one industry body estimated at more than 100,000 drivers – but No 10 has not yet

The transport secretary has said motorists should “carry on as normal” when it comes to buying fuel, after BP closed some of its petrol stations due to supply issues. The energy giant said tens of forecourts in its 1,200-strong network were experiencing shortages – blamed on the nationwide lack of HGV drivers – while rival

BP says it is “prioritising” fuel deliveries across its network of branded filling stations as some are hit by the national shortage of HGV and tanker drivers. The company told Sky News that “tens” of its 1,200-strong forecourts were experiencing shortages as a result of delays and it would ensure they got re-stocked first. It

The boss of Iceland has told Sky News the “array” of pressures facing the supermarket sector is a worry but there is no need for customers to panic buy in the run-up to Christmas. The grocery chain’s managing director Richard Walker, who had warned earlier this month that shoppers faced a significant increase in costs

Energy supplier Green has become the latest victim of the crisis engulfing the sector as it collapsed, blaming “unprecedented market conditions and regulatory failings”. Green, which has more than 250,000 customers and 185 staff, confirmed that it would cease trading a day after Sky News revealed that it had lined up advisers to oversee a