Politics
Sinead Butler
Sep 27, 2021
For a second time, Tory MP John Redwood appears to have missed the point entirely when it comes to the HGV driver shortage - and people have been duly roasted for the ridiculous solution he’s offering.
As the country is experiencing the effects of the HGV driver shortage, the MP for Wokingham decided to give his two cents as to how the problem and be solved, and according to Redwood it sounds pretty simple - understand how online companies were able to get extra delivery drivers and apply this to the HGV crisis.
But there’s one pretty big flaw to Redwood’s idea... the solution isn’t exactly a “one size fits all” because HGV drivers are required to pass a specific testing to get a HGV license due to the sheer size and volume of the lorries they have to drive - carrying tonnes of supplies.
Whereas, your standard local delivery driver just needs a basic driving license to be able to operate a delivery van - not exactly the same thing.
Redwood tweeted: “Online companies have attracted lots of extra drivers to do parcel van deliveries. HGV employers need to learn from them how they did it.”
On line companies have attracted lots of extra drivers to do parcel van deliveries. HGV employers need to learn from them how they did it.— John Redwood (@John Redwood) 1632722519
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One of the reasons there is a shortage in the first place is because HGV testing centres were closed during the Covid lockdowns and so no HGV drivers-in-training were able to pass and get their license during this time.
So basically, Redwood is missing the entire point.
But rest assured, people on Twitter were quick enough to highlight this to him.
One former HGV driver decided to school Redwood on the different between a HGV lorry and your bog-standard delivery van.
@johnredwood I used to be a HGV driver. It's completely different from a small van. Let's be honest look at the me… https://t.co/Ate9UOLapI— Mike's 'lucky' photos 📷📸 (@Mike's 'lucky' photos 📷📸) 1632726273
Former footballer and pundit, Gary Lineker shared his sarcastic response to the Tory MP’s suggestion and joked that people could learn how to drive a HGV lorry on YouTube.
Well said. They could go on You tube to learn how to drive an HGV. 🤦🏻♂️ https://t.co/wB6s6phUTI— Gary Lineker 💙 (@Gary Lineker 💙) 1632731149
Redwood’s tweet led Karl Turner, Labour MP for Kingston upon Hull East to jokingly question how blue ticks are given out to “parody accounts.”
How do parody accounts manage to fake the blue tick thing? https://t.co/5Gq3BLH4UD— Karl Turner MP (@Karl Turner MP) 1632728703
LBC presenter James O’Brien also couldn’t believe what he was reading.
Good grief. https://t.co/XtC0fY1CX7— James Oh Brien (@James Oh Brien) 1632727496
Here some more of the best reactions to Redwood’s tweet.
@johnredwood "We're sorry you weren't in. We've left your 36,000 litres of fuel in a mystery place you won't recogn… https://t.co/PVTNUYZ8gh— Jon Newton (@Jon Newton) 1632732944
Yes because driving an Ford transit is just like driving an HGV. https://t.co/usEmLofYe6— Anthony Dent (@Anthony Dent) 1632741594
Emphatically refuse to believe this isn’t a parody account https://t.co/6ZJrAlZIma— Jonathan Lis (@Jonathan Lis) 1632740264
I won my HGV license from a box of cereal. No training, no experience straight out onto the roads working, anybody… https://t.co/x34pMGtOST— Lew (@Lew) 1632732540
https://t.co/VymwcvFU7F https://t.co/9nwrAChlHn— katie york (@katie york) 1632741686
Because hermes/amazon/dpd drivers are EXACTLY the same as HGV drivers. Some chappie will be along shortly to deliv… https://t.co/V1hDY7qgXw— Mike (@Mike) 1632743419
Aye driving your own fiesta to deliver to households in the local area is exactly the same as driving 44 tonnes lon… https://t.co/5Q3yHGBrG9— Hazel (@Hazel) 1632729013
This 🤡 is comparing an Amazon van with a petrol tanker. It’s beyond belief https://t.co/tFLZcjj3n0— Mark Hirst (@Mark Hirst) 1632742374
What Britain needs is an army of exhausted HGV drivers (with no licence?), speeding round residential areas as fast… https://t.co/sarrC3sO0p— Rob Davies (@Rob Davies) 1632732197
It’s not the first time Redwood has been duly roasted for his suggestion regarding the lorry shortage.
Last month, he tweeted how the driver shortage can be solved by “raising wages and improving working” and to “just recruit and train some more.”
Business can solve the driver shortage by raising wages and improving working conditions. Just recruit and train some more.— John Redwood (@John Redwood) 1629957014
Not exactly the easiest thing to do in the middle of supply-chain problems.
After these two suggestions missing the mark, who knows what other ideas Redwood has up his sleeve.
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