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Ministers are holding an emergency Cobra meeting today as the country is rocked by a wave of strikes. The Government will discuss contingency plans for the strikes, including drafting in the military and civil servants to replace striking Border Force staff and ambulance drivers.<\/p>\n
Industrial action is expected to cause widespread disruption across the country in the leadup to Christmas.<\/p>\n
Cabinet Office minister Oliver Dowden, who will chair today’s meeting, urged unions to call of the strikes and “get back round the table”.<\/p>\n
He said: “The stance the unions have taken will cause disruption for millions of hardworking people over the coming weeks,” he said.<\/p>\n
“The government will do all it can to mitigate the impact of this action, but the only way to stop the disruption completely is for union bosses to get back round the table and call off these damaging strikes.<\/p>\n
“I will be chairing a series of Cobra meetings over the coming weeks to ensure our plans are as robust as possible, and that disruption is kept to a minimum.”<\/p>\n
MORE TO FOLLOW…<\/p>\n