'Plenty of food': UK trucks stranded along French border as new coronavirus strain leads to border closure

Britain and France have been negotiating reopening of borders to allow trucks to carry goods into the UK after Europe shut down borders as PM Johnson announced the news strain of coronavirus raising fears of a renewed spread of the virus which is reportedly 70 per cent more transferable.

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Britain's top supermarket Sainsbury had earlier warned that disruption could lead to shortage in the supply of lettuce, cauliflowers, broccoli and citrus fruit in the country.

However, British PM Johnson said supply chains remained "strong and robust" while asserting that delays would affect a "very small percentage" of food entering the UK.

The abrupt move by France to close its border after UK's announcement of the new strain forced Britain to bring forward "Operation Stack" which the British government has devised to deal with anticipated freight tailbacks on roads around Dover in case of no-deal Brexit.

The French border remained closed on Monday with several trunks stranded along Dover port.

British officials have been negotiating with the EU for a last-minute deal over Brexit fine print, but the Saturday announcement of a lockdown due to the new strain has plunged the Boris Johnson government into a new crisis.

"I don't think anybody should be worried - there is plenty of food in our shops," Interior minister Priti Patel said.

Reports say French and British officials are locked in negotiations over fishing rights post-Brexit even as London mayor Sadiq Khan and Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon called for an extension to Brexit talks to avoid disruption over New Year.

UK chief scientific adviser Patrick Vallance said that new variant of coronavirus had "clearly substantially increased" while adding that it "looks the same as any other form of Covid infection".

The news strain is reportedly spreading fast across southeast England. Britain is one of the worst-hit countries in the worst-hit country in Europe with virus with over 67,000 deaths and 2 million infection cases.