Ministers to hold COBRA meeting today as Christmas strike chaos grips Britain - Army to be deployed

Military staff and civil servants covering striking workers over a chaotic Christmas period is set to be discussed by ministers at a Cobra emergency meeting today.

Mass walkouts across the country are scheduled in the coming weeks with Royal Mail staff, rail employees, Border Force officials, nurses and paramedics all taking industrial action over their pay and conditions.

The Army is being drafted in to assist, with military personnel and civil servants currently training in case they are needed at ports and airports.

Border staff are preparing to strike for eight days from December 23 to New Year’s Eve, and warnings have been issued about the potential for long queues as a result.

The RMT's Mick Lynch has orchestrated many of the rail strikes going ahead.
Jonathan Brady

Hundreds of troops will be sent to hospitals this week in an effort to keep vital services up and running during a fortnight of strikes.

The south of England experienced heavy snow overnight, prompting chaos as transport services were heavily delayed and some cancelled.

As paramedics prepare to walkout next week, military personnel will begin emergency training in preparation at hospital trusts across the country.

Ministers will meet at the Government’s emergency Cobra committee to prepare contingency plans as nurses prepare to strike on Thursday.

Troops are already undergoing training to step in for Border Force airport guards, as they threaten to scupper Christmas holiday plans with days of industrial action over the festive period.