BORIS Johnson has claimed supply chains in the UK are “very reliable” as we head towards Christmas.

Retail analysts have predicted Christmas is set to be a ‘nightmare’ due to shortages which the Chancellor has said could ‘last for months’.

Earlier this week, Boris Johnson admitted he has known for months that the UK’s haulage industry was in trouble, as he indicated the supply chain problems besetting the economy could continue until Christmas.

However, this morning the Prime Minister said the country was in a good position, with “very reliable supply chains”.

Barry And District News:

Speaking to BBC Breakfast Mr Johnson said: “Christmas this year will be very considerably better than last year.

“I think we have very reliable supply chains in this country.”

He added: “There are obviously issues that we have to address, there have been shortages in lorry drivers around the world.

“There are shortages of lorry drivers in China at the moment because the world economy is growing again.”

Barry And District News: Credit: PACredit: PA

The Prime Minister also claimed that supply chain problems were caused largely by the strength of economic recovery in the country.

He said: “What you will see is brilliant logistic experts in our supermarket chains, in our food processing industry, getting to grips with it, finding the staff that they need, we will help them in any way that we can.

“But the shortage is global.”

Mr Johnson added: “What you can’t do is go back to the old, failed model where you mainline low-wage, low-skilled labour – very often very hard-working, brave, wonderful people – who come in, working in conditions that frankly are pretty tough and we shouldn’t be going back to that.”

Barry And District News: A tanker driver makes a fuel delivery at a petrol station in south London. Credit: PAA tanker driver makes a fuel delivery at a petrol station in south London. Credit: PA

That had led to a situation where there was not investment in the industry and “people had to urinate in bushes” because of the lack of facilities for drivers, he said.

Boris Johnson said just 127 of the 300 visas for tanker drivers to come to the UK immediately had been granted.

They are among 5,000 visas overall on offer for HGV drivers.