London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Jul 11, 2026

0:00
0:00

Sunak: Ministers "doing all we can” to fix supplies for shops.

Well, this brave statement is exactly the problem and not the solution. When politicians say we're "doing all we can", it generally means - as in this case - they're doing nothing, just blowing hot air. If they were able to do something useful instead of just sweet-talking, they would find decent jobs and not disgrace themselves by spending their lives in such a shabby, low-life occupation. Sending a PR picture to the press comparing Rishi Sunak to Jesus Christ will not allow our sainted Chancellor to ascend to the next celestial level. He's still just a smarmy (if smart) politician who doesn't believe the promises he makes. Similar to Jesus: “You'll be rewarded, next life; just give me your money, this life".




In recent days, several retailers have warned of potential shortages during the Christmas shopping season.

Speaking to the BBC at the end of G7 meetings in Washington, Mr Sunak blamed global factors for delays seen at ports such as Felixstowe.

It comes as G7 finance ministers agreed to work together to address the issues.

Mr Sunak said: "I'm confident there'll be a good amount of Christmas presents available for everyone to buy."

His comments came after a container logjam at ports, including Felixstowe, and a shortage of HGV lorry drivers has sparked concerns among businesses, ahead of the most important period of the year for retail spending.

On Wednesday, the UK's largest commercial port said the supply chain crisis has caused a logjam of shipping containers.

The Port of Felixstowe, which handles 36% of the UK's freight container traffic, blamed the busy pre-Christmas period and haulage shortages.

However, it said the situation has been improving over the last few days.

Meanwhile, shipping giant Maersk told the BBC it was rerouting some of its biggest ships away from the port.

At the same time, one of biggest ports in the US will start operating 24 hours a day to try to clear long queues of cargo ships.
The Port of Los Angeles in California said it will handle more goods at night after a similar move by nearby Long Beach port.
The ports - which handle 40% of all cargo containers entering the US - have faced months of problems.

Major US firms such as Walmart and FedEx have also committed to increasing their round-the-clock operations to help clear the jam, the White House said on Wednesday.

Mr Sunak was speaking after the G7 agreed to work more closely together to monitor issues facing the movement of goods around the world.

The meeting of finance ministers and central bank governors discussed the importance of global co-operation to ensure that supply chains are more resilient as the world emerges from the pandemic.

The G7 (Group of Seven) is an organisation of the world's seven largest so-called advanced economies. They are Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US. Ministers and officials from the member countries hold meetings, form agreements and publish joint statements on global events.

In the BBC interview, Mr Sunak largely focused on the situation for industry in the UK - and he said he completely rejected the assertion of the head of UK Steel that the government had created a "hostile environment" for industrial investment and levelling up.

But when asked if he, as chancellor, was prepared to accept that high gas prices would put some heavy industry out of business he said he had to make sure taxpayers' money was protected and that "it's not the government's job to come in and start managing the price of every individual product".

Mr Sunak said the government would work constructively with businesses after Prime Minister Boris Johnson blamed shortages on UK firms "mainlining" migrant labour, pointing to the appointment of the former Tesco boss Sir Dave Lewis as a supply chain tsar.

However, the chancellor also said "everyone" including Mr Johnson accepts that increasing wages without increasing productivity would be inflationary.

He said the move to a high wage, high-skill economy advocated by Mr Johnson would "obviously take time".

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Scottish Fishing Industry Calls for Emergency Support Amid Rising Costs
UK Supports Stronger European Response to Russian Actions in Ukraine
Devon and Cornwall Police Release Suspect in Ann Widdecombe Murder Investigation
Scottish MPs Demand More Government Support for Fishing Industry
UK Aviation Sector Faces New Rules as Parliament Reviews Passenger Protection Reforms
King’s College London Disciplines Students Over Pro-Palestine Campus Protests
Ministry of Defence Expands Military Capabilities Through New Precision Strike Investment
United Kingdom Condemns Russian Treatment of Ukrainian Children at International Security Forum
House of Lords Reviews Civil Aviation Bill to Strengthen Passenger Rights and UK Aviation Competitiveness
UK Aerospace and Defence Industries Contribute Nearly Forty-Seven Billion Pounds to Economy
UK Government Advances Consultation on Possible Social Media Ban for Children Under Sixteen
United Kingdom Ratifies Global High Seas Treaty to Protect Marine Biodiversity
United Kingdom Joins United States Precision Strike Missile Programme With One Hundred Ninety Million Pound Investment
UK Senior NHS Doctors Vote for Further Strike Action Over Pay and Contract Disputes
BBC Leadership Resigns After Donald Trump Launches Ten Billion Dollar Defamation Lawsuit
UK Fiscal Watchdog Warns Andy Burnham Government Faces One Hundred Billion Pound Budget Challenge
The AI Invoice Shock: Layoffs Didn't Save Managers Money — They Cost Them More
Concern: Sexually Transmitted Bacterium Among Men Develops Antibiotic Resistance
Following Massive Investor Demand: SK Hynix Raises 26.5 Billion Dollars on Nasdaq
Passenger Partially Pulled Out of Ryanair Jet After Cabin Window Fails Mid-Flight
After Four Years, and Under a Heavy Veil of Secrecy: King Charles Meets His Grandchildren, Harry and Meghan's Children
Cross-Party MPs Call for National Climate Emergency Broadcast
Bayeux Tapestry Arrives in the United Kingdom for Landmark Exhibition
United Kingdom Launches Modern Slavery Prevention Programme in Vietnam
Police Warn Against Misinformation Following Disorder in Glasgow
Pension Reform Takes Effect to Consolidate Workplace Savings Industry
Treasury and Bank of England Monitor Economy as Energy Price Pressures Ease
Government Orders Treasury Reform of Disciplinary Procedures Following Civil Servant's Death
Ofcom to Require Major Technology Platforms to Block Scam Advertisements
Labour Apologizes Over Gaza Position in Bid to Rebuild Support
High Court Rules UK-France Asylum Agreement Protection Cuts Were Unlawful
Metropolitan Police Open Murder Investigation Into Death of Former MP Ann Widdecombe
University College London Report Proposes Replacing Council Tax and Stamp Duty With National Property Tax
Treasury Places Amazon, Google, Microsoft and Oracle Under New UK Financial System Oversight Rules
Severe Heatwave Drives Dangerous Ground-Level Ozone Pollution Across Two Thirds of European Union
Westminster in Freefall as Farage's By-Election Gamble Triggers Broader Systemic Crises
Institutional Fractures and Political Volatility Reshape Britain's Domestic Landscape
Deadly Fire, Health Emergencies and Political Upheaval Shape a Volatile Global News Cycle
UK Energy Strategy Focuses on Storage and Offshore Wind to Support Renewable Transition
Regional Governments Gain Greater Role in Britain’s Infrastructure and Economic Strategy
Britain Strengthens Technology Sovereignty Through Tougher Artificial Intelligence Competition Rules
UK Government Expands Artificial Intelligence Use Across Public Services Despite Privacy Debate
UK Universities Warn of Financial Pressure After Sharp Fall in International Student Enrolment
Welsh Government Completes Rail Nationalisation With One Point Five Billion Pound Modernisation Plan
Northern Ireland Records Export Growth as Companies Benefit From Dual UK and EU Market Access
Greater Manchester Launches Two Billion Pound Plan to Convert Empty Commercial Sites Into Housing
National Grid Connects Europe’s Largest Battery Storage Facility in Yorkshire
UK Defence Ministry Plans Royal Navy Autonomous Fleet Deployment to Indo-Pacific
Scotland Approves Europe’s Largest Floating Offshore Wind Project Near Aberdeen
Competition and Markets Authority Blocks Forty Billion Pound Technology Deal Over AI Security Concerns
×