Grant Shapps said British hauliers would be exempt from the new French rules which don't accept the fast turnaround lateral flow tests.

More than 10,000 Covid tests have been carried out to help ease the backlog of lorries, but the MoD said more vehicles were continuing to arrive 'every hour'.

More than 10,000 Covid-19 tests have been carried out in a bid to clear the backlog of lorries waiting to cross the Channel into France on Christmas Day.