FTA has criticised the Government for not sharing potential Brexit no-deal scenarios with the logistics industry after they were leaked over the weekend.

The Sunday Times obtained the Government’s classified Yellowhammer report which showed Britain would face shortages of fuel, food and medicine, a three-month meltdown at its ports, a hard border with Ireland and rising costs in social care in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

The documents set out the most likely aftershocks of a no-deal Brexit rather than the worst-case scenarios.

James Hookham, deputy chief executive of FTA, said: “FTA, which speaks for the logistics sector, is concerned that none of the planned scenarios leaked in this weekend’s report (Sunday Times) have been shared with the logistics industry in meetings over the past three years.

“We are ready and waiting to adopt and adapt to new trading practices but without knowing the scenarios the government believes industry should prepare for, logistics operators cannot be expected to take adequate steps to get ready for a No Deal Brexit.

“This is the first time the industry is learning of any threat to fuel supplies – a particularly worrying situation as this would affect the movement of goods across the country, not just to and from Europe, and could put jobs at risk throughout the sector which keeps Britain trading.”