UK government officials will hold an emergency meeting on Monday to discuss plans for military staff and civil servants to cover for striking Border Force staff at airports and ports.
Military personnel and civil servants are being trained to step in, the government said, as the country faces an intensifying wave of strikes over conditions and pay this month, from nurses, paramedics and rail workers to Border Force officials.
Staff at Gatwick, Heathrow, Manchester, Birmingham and Cardiff airports will strike for eight days from December 23 to New Year’s Eve.
The government said members of the armed forces would also be sent to hospital trusts across the country to familiarise themselves with vehicles before an ambulance strike scheduled for December 21.
Some members are already being trained as part of contingency plans by Border Force officials, as the government tries to avoid widespread travel disruption at Christmas.
The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Oliver Dowden will on Monday lead the first of two Cabinet Office briefing rooms (Cobra) meetings next week, which will be attended by transport, health, Home Office and defence ministers.
Strikes across the UK - in pictures
Another meeting is scheduled to take place on Wednesday.
Mr Dowden called on unions to call off the “damaging” strikes.
“The stance the unions have taken will cause disruption for millions of hardworking people over the coming weeks," he said.
“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.
“Although departments are responsible for plans in individual sectors, it is right that the Cabinet Office co-ordinates a cross-government response.
“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.”
Border Force workers at UK airports to strike over Christmas - video
Royal College of Nursing members are due to take part in unprecedented strike action on December 15 and December 20, with tens of thousands of nurses expected to join.
With rail strikes also planned between now and early January, the government said it was working with Network Rail and freight companies to prevent delays and to ensure coal, steel and waste are given priority.
“The urgent meeting that the government would really benefit from convening is with us. Negotiate now and pause these strikes," a Royal College of Nursing spokeswoman said.
UK nurses to stage walkout over pay row - video
Unison’s head of health Sara Gorton echoed that message.
“The wage rise given to health workers this year simply hasn’t been enough to stop staff leaving in droves," Ms Gorton said.
"Without enough employees in the NHS, patients will go on waiting too long for ambulances and for treatment to start.
“Instead of putting plans in place for the strike days, ministers should be concentrating all their efforts on ending the disputes.”
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
if you go
The flights Fly Dubai, Air Arabia, Emirates, Etihad, and Royal Jordanian all offer direct, three-and-a-half-hour flights from the UAE to the Jordanian capital Amman. Alternatively, from June Fly Dubai will offer a new direct service from Dubai to Aqaba in the south of the country. See the airlines’ respective sites for varying prices or search on reliable price-comparison site Skyscanner.
The trip
Jamie Lafferty was a guest of the Jordan Tourist Board. For more information on adventure tourism in Jordan see Visit Jordan. A number of new and established tour companies offer the chance to go caving, rock-climbing, canyoning, and mountaineering in Jordan. Prices vary depending on how many activities you want to do and how many days you plan to stay in the country. Among the leaders are Terhaal, who offer a two-day canyoning trip from Dh845 per person. If you really want to push your limits, contact the Stronger Team. For a more trek-focused trip, KE Adventure offers an eight-day trip from Dh5,300 per person.
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
UAE SQUAD
Mohammed Naveed (captain), Mohamed Usman (vice captain), Ashfaq Ahmed, Chirag Suri, Shaiman Anwar, Mohammed Boota, Ghulam Shabber, Imran Haider, Tahir Mughal, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed, Fahad Nawaz, Abdul Shakoor, Sultan Ahmed, CP Rizwan
