Ed Davey: Prioritise NHS and care workers for fuel

The government must ensure that health and care staff, teachers and other essential workers are given priority access to fuel, Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey has said.

The former Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change warned that the government mustn't "allow their incompetence to damage people's health and undermine our children's education."

It comes amid a warning from the British Medical Association that as pumps run dry "there is a real risk that NHS staff won't be able to do their jobs".

Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey said:

"Nurses and doctors are struggling to get to work, vulnerable people are going without their carers and teachers are warning schools may be forced to close.

"The government must urgently intervene and give NHS and other key workers priority access to fuel, to keep essential services running while ministers finally get to grips with this crisis.

"The Conservatives cannot allow their incompetence to damage people's health and undermine our children's education. They need to start taking responsibility for this mess instead of blaming everyone but themselves."