Only 27 EU HGV drivers have been tempted by the government’s visa offer – 11 favourite reactions

If you’ve been sitting in a petrol queue lately, wondering when Super Boris was going to swoop in and save Christmas, your worries probably won’t have been calmed by the details of his plan to offer 5000 special visas to EU-based HGV drivers.

The initial offer to allow them to stay until Christmas Eve has been extended until February, with a lucky 300 getting the chance to stay until March, if they’re petrol tank drivers.

They’re clearly thrilled.

TIMES FRONT: Visas attract just 27 fuel drivers from EU #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/e1ZXmlUgaw

— Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) October 4, 2021

Boris Johnson claimed that the figure was 127, rather than 27 – which would still have been a dismal response, but was in fact *checks notes* simply not true.

“the government’s business department confirmed the report stating there had been 27 applications, not 127 as Johnson claimed”https://t.co/w0ubsqb7gu

— Peter Stefanovic (@PeterStefanovi2) October 5, 2021

If anybody was surprised by this turn of events, they should drop us a line. There’s a bridge we’d like to sell them.

These people certainly saw it coming.

1.

Immigrants are not a tap a government gets to turn on and off. They choose where they go to. And if you treat them like sh*t, they usually choose to take back control … and do not return. https://t.co/a3mnD59L8R

— Prof Tanja Bueltmann (@TanjaBueltmann) October 4, 2021

2.

Oh. pic.twitter.com/eMW8dNqHcJ

— James O'Brien (@mrjamesob) October 5, 2021

3.

Priti Patel currently on stage twatting on about how Brexit’s improved the immigration system whilst they’ve just managed to recruit 27 drivers to fill a 100,000 driver shortage pic.twitter.com/TCvHyPmK3c

— James Felton (@JimMFelton) October 5, 2021

4.

Misleading headline, you should see the size of their wagons. pic.twitter.com/WDOXcgu5H6

— THE SECRET TORY (@secrettory12) October 5, 2021

5.

The Problem:
-shortage of 100,000 drivers
The Solution:
-a scheme so utterly shit that only 27 people apply pic.twitter.com/ajoSw61SLT

— Parody Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson_MP) October 5, 2021

6.

Shocked. Shocked I tells thee! The folk who were demonised, portrayed as inferior and then told to fuck off, aren't there at our beck and call. Don't these ruddy forrins know we won a world cup 60 years ago? https://t.co/cdxAyiagr4

— Skew Spew Barmy Hairdo Curmudgeon Bigot and Smug💙 (@SkewSmug) October 5, 2021

7.

So this is what controlling the number of people who come into our country looks like. https://t.co/ixXMC1uEf9

— Steve Analyst (@EmporersNewC) October 4, 2021

8.

Look, Ma! No invisible hands! https://t.co/Fvx9YYYKmC

— Alex Andreou (@sturdyAlex) October 5, 2021

9.

I knew he'd save Christmas!! https://t.co/NiLb9ByhGK

— Gareth Bellamy 💙 (@thebellow) October 4, 2021

10.

27 EU drivers have responded to the UK's urgent pleas for help.

A propos of nothing, there are 27 EU states.

Wonder if each held a mega round of drawing short straws (biodegradable paper ones, of course)? https://t.co/wOMJ23nkGb

— Edwin Hayward 🦄 🗡 (@uk_domain_names) October 5, 2021

11.

Those 27 drivers are going to have to work bloody hard to fill our supermarket shelves and petrol stations. https://t.co/1Z6MCD9ASX

— Damon (@damocrat) October 4, 2021

Plot twist – the EU might be about to school the government on how to make an offer.

A gem this morning on French lunchtime TV still to be confirmed.

The EU is considering offering special five year visas to UK HGV licence holders. #Brexit pic.twitter.com/kTZKWVWV3H

— RS Archer (@archer_rs) October 5, 2021

Sacré bleu!

READ MORE

23 favourite tweets about the petrol, lorry driver (and anything else) shortage right now

Source Neil Henderson Image The Times, planet_fox on Pixabay