Tories 'Smart' To Use Holiday To Mask Border Check Chaos

The director general of Britain’s leading trade body has described Tory ministers as “smart” for using the bank holiday weekend to mask the impact of a new Brexit border checks system, which is set to add delays, red tape and costs to many imports.

- DAVID MADDOX ARCHIE MITCHELL

Marco Forgione, director general of the Institute of Export and International Trade (IoE&IT), was commenting on the second phase of the controversial new border target operating model (BTOM) system to check animal and plant exports, which was introduced last Wednesday.

There have already been reports of garden centres and other businesses “stockpiling” plants and goods to avoid the initial chaos of the system, which was brought in as a result of Brexit.

Mr Forgione told The Independent: “The government was smart to introduce the checks on what is a bank holiday in the EU, as there is a reduction in traffic. The point is what will happen in the coming days and weeks. A lot of businesses also completed their movements before the checks came in – inventory management... you might call it stockpiling.”

But he admitted that the BTOM delays are likely to have an impact, especially on small and medium-sized businesses that could struggle to stay afloat as a result of the changes. This is despite Brexiteers promising that doing business would be easier after leaving the EU and that there would be more opportunities. Remainers always warned that putting up barriers with Britain’s biggest trading partner posed a major risk.