Arabic version: المملكة المتحدة تواجه ارتفاعات ممتدة في الأسعار بعد الصراع مع إيران، تحذر وزيرة
According to BBC News,
People in the UK could face higher energy, food, and flight ticket prices for at least eight months after the end of the US-Israel war with Iran, a senior minister has said. Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister Darren Jones told the BBC the government was “looking at all of those things” as it steps up plans to offset potential food and fuel shortages caused by the war.
Energy production and transportation across the Middle East has slowed or stopped entirely due to the conflict, causing supply chain issues and price rises globally. Earlier this month, government officials drew up a worst-case scenario of food shortages by the summer, including chicken and pork, should the war continue.
Jones emphasized that while the government is monitoring the situation closely, the likelihood of sustained price pressure is higher than actual shortages in supermarkets. “Our best guess is eight plus months from the point of resolution that you’ll see economic impacts coming through the system,” he stated.
In response to the crisis, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer will chair another meeting of a Cabinet committee on Tuesday set up to deal with any shortfalls, while a group of ministers is meeting twice a week to monitor stock levels and any disruptions to the supply chain. The government has also provided funding to reactivate the Ensus bioethanol plant, which makes CO2 as a by-product, in order to shore up supplies of the gas.
UK airlines have insisted they are “not currently seeing a shortage of jet fuel” as they buy it in advance and airports maintain stocks. Supermarkets have said they are working with the government to help plan for a worst-case scenario. However, concerns remain about rising prices for various food items, as indicated by the National Farmers’ Union, which has forecasted increases in the cost of cucumbers, tomatoes, and milk in the coming months. The Liberal Democrats have urged the government to include a bill in the next King’s Speech which puts food security at the top of the government’s agenda.
