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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 crisis: Live updates as drivers queue outside petrol stations and cause congestion on roads

EMBARGOED TO 0001 MONDAY SEPTEMBER 27 Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer and shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves during a visit to businesses in Hove, East Sussex where they met shop keepers and local people before attending the second day of the Labour Party annual conference in Brighton. Picture date: Sunday September 26, 2021.
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Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves with Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer during a visit to businesses in Hove, East Sussex

“There are other problems as well, an ageing workforce, problems with the pandemic.

“But when you cut off a supply of labour which we did when we left the European Union then you are of course contributing and adding to problems.”

She was responding to comments from Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, who told Sky News last week: “I’ve seen people point to Brexit as if it’s the culprit here. In fact, they’re wrong.”

The HGV shortage, which has been estimated at more than 100,000 drivers, has led to fuel supply issues and in turn sparked instances of panic buying of petrol.

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Supermarkets have also in some cases struggled to fill their shelves.

The government is considering using the army to help with fuel deliveries as some petrol brands report as many as 90% of their sites running dry.

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Shapps: ‘Brexit is part of solution’ to HGV driver shortage

One petrol station reported a 500% spike in demand compared to last week, with motorway service stations being given refill priority.

Downing Street announced on Sunday that it would temporarily suspend competition laws to allow the fuel industry to target petrol stations most in need of fresh supplies.

Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng met industry executives on Sunday to try to find a way through supply chain pressures that have led to panic-buying of fuel.

It estimated around 30% of its 1,200 UK sites do not currently have either of the main grades of fuel.

Ms Reeves accused ministers of failing to “get a grip on the crisis” and “we’re now seeing that play out on garage forecourts and in our supermarkets”.

She continued: “The government, instead of denying the problem and blaming others, which is what Grant Shapps was doing at the weekend, they need to get a grip and sort out these problems.

“Because frankly it’s not fair and it’s not right that ordinary working people are queuing for hours on end to get petrol to go about their day-to-day business.”

London mayor Sadiq Khan echoed his Labour colleague’s criticism, telling Sky News that the government had “taken their eye off the ball and it’s ordinary people who are suffering”.

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No job for Tom Tugendhat in Kemi Badenoch’s shadow cabinet as Chris Philp appointed shadow home secretary

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No job for Tom Tugendhat in Kemi Badenoch's shadow cabinet as Chris Philp appointed shadow home secretary

Tom Tugendhat is not serving in Kemi Badenoch’s shadow cabinet, it has been revealed – as the new Tory leader continued her appointments today.

Former Home Office minister Chris Philp has been awarded the job of shadow home secretary, the last of the key posts to be announced.

A Conservative source told Sky News Mr Tugendhat was offered a job and turned it down.

Unveiling a host of appointments today, Ms Badenoch, who was elected leader of the Conservative Party last weekend, confirmed that Ed Argar would be the shadow health secretary, while James Cartlidge will take on the role of shadow defence secretary.

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Former business minister Kevin Hollinrake will shadow Angela Rayner on the housing brief, while Victoria Atkins will take on the role of shadow environment secretary.

Claire Coutinho, who was the energy secretary under Rishi Sunak, will continue in the opposition version of the role.

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Helen Whately has been appointed shadow work and pensions secretary and Andrew Griffith, the former economic secretary to the Treasury, is the new shadow business and trade secretary.

Ms Badenoch, who became Conservative leader on Saturday, started officially appointing her shadow cabinet on Sunday evening.

Yesterday Dame Priti Patel made a comeback to frontline politics after the new Conservative leader appointed her as shadow foreign secretary.

Former shadow work and pensions secretary Mel Stride, who ran in the Tory leadership race and is considered more of a moderate than Ms Badenoch, was also made shadow chancellor.

The move has been interpreted as Ms Badenoch making an effort to unite the party following its bruising election defeat, which saw it reduced to just 121 seats.

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Badenoch: ‘It is time to renew’

Robert Jenrick, who lost out to Ms Badenoch in the Tory leadership race, is the new shadow justice secretary, while Laura Trott, who previously served as chief secretary to the Treasury, was appointed shadow education secretary.

Now the Conservatives are in opposition, the shadow cabinet’s role is to scrutinise the policies and actions of the government and offer alternative policies.

Other roles that have been confirmed today include Stuart Andrew as shadow culture secretary, Gareth Bacon as shadow transport secretary, Andrew Bowie as shadow Scotland secretary, Alex Burghart as shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and Mims Davies as shadow Wales secretary and shadow minister for women.

Former transport minister Jesse Norman has been appointed as shadow leader of the Commons while Richard Fuller is the new shadow chief secretary to the Treasury and Alan Mak is the new shadow science secretary.

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Who’s who in Kemi Badenoch’s new shadow cabinet?
University tuition fee rise branded ‘morally wrong’

During the Conservative Party leadership race, Ms Badenoch suggested that all six MPs who ran against her for the top job – Mr Jenrick, Mr Tugendhat, Mr Stride, Ms Patel and James Cleverly – would be offered a job in her shadow cabinet.

Mr Cleverly, who came third in the leadership race, said on Friday he would not be joining Ms Badenoch’s top team.

It is understood Ms Badenoch will appoint the remainder of the team later in the week and on a rolling basis.

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Meet the pro-crypto contenders who could replace SEC chief Gary Gensler

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Meet the pro-crypto contenders who could replace SEC chief Gary Gensler

There are several new candidates who could potentially become the next chair of the SEC.

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University tuition fee rise branded ‘morally wrong’ – as Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson defends increase

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University tuition fee rise branded 'morally wrong' - as Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson defends increase

The education secretary has said no decision has been made on whether university tuition fees will increase with inflation each year.

Bridget Phillipson has announced the maximum cap on tuition fees in England will go up in line with inflation from April 2025.

The cost of tuition will increase by £285 to £9,535 next year – the first rise in eight years.

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There will also be a rise in maximum maintenance loans to increase in line with inflation, giving an increase of £414 a year to help students with living costs.

However, the education secretary did not say if the rise would continue after that.

Speaking to Sky News’ Politics Hub with Sophy Ridge, Ms Phillipson admitted she did not know what would happen with tuition fees after April 2026.

“We’re going to look at this and the maintenance support and the sector overall as part of the reform that we intend to set out in the months to come,” she said.

“So no decision, no decision has been taken on what happens beyond this.”

She said the government will be looking at “what is required… to get our universities on a more sustainable footing… but also to deliver a better deal for students as a part of that”.

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University tuition fees to increase

The minister said she also “intends to look at” uprating the threshold at which students need to start paying tuition fees back in line with inflation.

Jo Grady, general secretary of the University and College Union (UCU), said the tuition fee rise was “economically and morally wrong”.

She said: “Taking more money from debt-ridden students and handing it to overpaid underperforming vice-chancellors is ill conceived and won’t come close to addressing the sector’s core issues.”

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The National Union of Students (NUS) said students were being asked to “foot the bill” to keep the lights and heating on in their universities and to prevent their courses from closing down amid the “crisis”.

Alex Stanley, vice president for higher education of the NUS, said: “This is, and can only ever be, a sticking plaster.

“Universities cannot continue to be funded by an ever-increasing burden of debt on students.”

Universities have been making up for fees being frozen since 2017/18 by taking in international students who pay more.

However, student visa numbers have fallen after the previous government made it more difficult for them to come to the UK recently, so universities can no longer rely on the fees.

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