Fuel crisis and supply shortages are a product of the UK’s economic model

Rising prices and lack of goods are what happens when just-in-time economy collides with seat-of-the-pants government

It all seems to have happened so fast. Only a few months ago, the government was congratulating itself for the speed at which Britain was emerging from the pandemic. But as the nights have lengthened, there have been empty shelves at supermarkets, spiralling energy prices and queues snaking back from petrol stations.

If there is a general sense of bemusement at all this, then there really shouldn't be. This is what happens when just-in-time production methods collide with just-in-time government and turn a problem into a crisis.

Britain now has just 1% of Europe's storage capacity, enough to cope with four or five cold winter days.