Transport Secretary is accused of using colleague as ‘human shield’ in ferry fiasco
CHRIS GRAYLING has been accused of using Matt Hancock, the Health Secretary, as a “human shield” to answer awkward questions about his latest controversy.
The Transport Secretary did not ap- pear in the Commons to answer an urgent question on the Government’s £33million payment to Eurotunnel to settle a legal action over Brexit contracts to ferry firms.
A string of recent gaffes blamed on Mr Grayling have now garnered international attention, with The New York Times printing an article asking how he manages to stay in his job.
Yesterday he kept a low profile as Mr Hancock was left to answer questions on the case, brought after Mr Grayling hired ferry firms to provide vital supplies in the event of a no-deal Brexit.
Andy Mcdonald, the shadow transport secretary, said: “The Government are no longer prepared to defend the indefensible so Chris Grayling has been sent into hiding.”
The Labour whips’ office wrote on Twitter: “Matt Hancock, the Health Secretary, will be acting as a human shield for Chris Grayling ... When you are unwilling, or the Government are not prepared to field you to face the scrutiny of your peers and explain why the department you lead has had to pay £33million of taxpayers’ money, you know the game is up.”
Last week Eurotunnel said it would no longer challenge the Department for Transport’s decision to award deals worth £108million to DFDS, Seaborne Freight and Brittany Ferries to lay on additional crossings to ports other than Dover in the case of a no-deal Brexit.
Seaborne had never owned or operated a ferry, and Eurotunnel said it should have been approached to tender as it had previous ferry experience.
In The New York Times yesterday, US readers were told of Mr Grayling: “He has bumbled his way from one Government post to another, accused of making a hash of each, and becoming a byword for haplessness in a golden age of political blundering in Britain.”
A Government spokesman said: “The settlement with Eurotunnel was a cross-government decision as the provision of the freight capacity was largely designed to secure the ongoing supply of crucial medicines, medical supplies and veterinary medicines. Therefore it is entirely appropriate for a Cabinet member and Health Secretary to answer the question.”