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UK Has Yet To Hire 1,000 Extra Border Workers Needed To Help With Brexit

BI Exclusive: The UK government has failed to recruit the 1,000 new border workers it promised ahead of Brexit, despite pledging to do so a year ago. The delay means the UK could be unprepared to cope with the strain of a no-deal Brexit on its borders. A leading union chief representing border workers tells Business Insider that "[Border Force staff] can barely manage business as usual, let alone cope with these new challenges." The Home Office insists they are continuing to recruit staff. LONDON — Theresa May's government has failed to hire the 1,000 border staff it promised to recruit in time for Brexit, triggering fears that Britain's borders could be overwhelmed if the UK leaves the EU without a deal. A National Audit Office report last year suggested that the UK would need up to 2,000 extra border workers in the long-term to cope with a no-deal Brexit. However, sources told Business Insider that the government has failed to even recruit the 1,000 new customs and immigration staff it promised to hire last year in anticipation of new border checks when the UK leaves the EU.