UK should ‘cherish’ turnips, suggests Thérèse Coffey, as food shortages could last a month – as it happened

Therese Coffey, Defra secretary of state, has predicted that the UK's fruit and vegetable shortages could last up to four weeks

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Almost one in three UK hospitality firms are at risk of collapse this year, as rising inflation hits the industry, a new survey has found.

Trade body UKHospitality reports that cost pressures, ongoing labour shortages and Covid-19 debt have left many hospitality businesses in a perilous position.

The demand from the public is quite clearly there, with revenue exceeding pre-Covid levels, but there is no way venues can take advantage of this demand as they drown amidst price rise after price rise.

Without action, we can see just how stark the year ahead could be with a third of businesses at risk of failure. Venues are simply unable to pass prices onto the consumer at the same rate they are experiencing their own costs rise.

We know one of the Government's key priorities is cutting inflation and growing the economy, which we support. Hospitality is a prime sector to achieve this, with a track record of delivering rapid growth.

Intervening in the energy market to stop unscrupulous behaviour by energy suppliers, reforming the Apprenticeship Levy and tackling disproportionate business rates would signal his commitment to the everyday economy and its ability to lift the nation out of its economic slump.