Chris Grayling’s ferry company fails to deliver

There have been a number of signs already this year that the government, after months of dragging its feet, may now be struggling with its preparations to get Britain ready for a potential no-deal Brexit in March.

Last week, the hapless transport secretary Chris Grayling came under fire for giving a contract to provide extra ferries between Ramsgate and Ostend in the case of no deal to ‘Seaborne Freight’ – a company which has no ships, no record of chartering them, and no trading history.