UK supply chain unprepared for major shocks such as war, report warns

Britain’s vital supply chains are unprepared for the prospect of a major shock such as war with Russia, and bold steps are needed to catch up with “worst-case scenario” planning by European states, ministers have been warned. Donald Trump’s “America First” transformation of the US, which has made what was once a trusted UK ally a much less reliable partner, should also feed into that planning, according to a new report. The warnings are contained in research by the National Preparedness Commission (NPC), which promotes national crisis planning and is overseen by a panel including senior figures from emergency services, the NHS and experts on risk and security. The calls coincide with continuing concern over the impact of the war in the Middle East on fuel costs and the prices of food and other goods in the UK, which saw the government recently ask supermarkets to consider freezing the prices of some essentials. The report, launched privately at Westminster last week, puts a spotlight on the resilience of Britain’s supply chain and how it could be tested by looming dangers ranging from a fresh pandemic, the climate crisis or what is now focusing the minds of officials: a war with Russia. It said that Britain is lagging behind other European countries when it comes to the stockpiling of supplies such as critical medicines, and called for fresh thinking. “The conversation in government should shift from why we should not stockpile to how and where we might most sensibly do it. …