Keir Starmer blasts Boris Johnson over 'amber list' travel chaos

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    Sir Keir Starmer today attacked Boris Johnson over the Government’s ‘amber list’ travel chaos as he claimed ministers have ‘lost control’ of the situation.  

    The Labour leader demanded the PM provide ‘absolute clarity’ on the circumstances in which people can go to the countries after 24 hours of ministers contradicting each other. 

    Sir Keir mocked Mr Johnson as he said that while the PM insists he does not want people to go to ‘amber list’ destinations on holiday he had actually ‘made it easier for them to do so’. 

    But the PM hit back and said people should only travel to those countries in ‘extreme circumstances’ as he also defended the decision not to make travel to ‘amber’ and ‘red’ nations illegal. 

    He said the Government is ‘trying to move away from endlessly legislating for everything and to rely on guidance and asking people to do the right thing’. 

    The row at PMQs came after another minister risked fuelling further travel confusion after she stressed that going to ‘amber list’ countries is not illegal and warnings are only ‘guidance’. 

    Skills Minister Gillian Keegan deepened the sense of chaos over the traffic light rules as she tried to paper over conflicting messages by arguing that the Government was trusting the public to be ‘sensible’.

    In an extraordinary muddle yesterday, George Eustice first suggested trips to ‘amber’ countries – including most of Europe – were acceptable if people wanted to see friends and family.

    Hours later the PM overruled his Environment Secretary by insisting such travel was off limits.

    That was followed by Health Minister Lord Bethell claiming holidays anywhere abroad were ‘dangerous’ with foreign trips ‘not for this year’.

    The peer even failed to rebuff the idea that returning holidaymakers should be electronically tagged in quarantine. 

    Welsh Secretary Simon Hart then waded in last night by saying ‘some people might think a holiday is essential’ and they should use their ‘common sense’.

    Health Secretary Matt Hancock had said on Monday that people should only travel to ‘amber’ or ‘red’ list countries if they have an ‘exceptional reason’ for doing so. 

    Mr Hancock was asked to apologise to holidaymakers over the confusion as he hosted a Downing Street press conference this evening but he declined to do so and insisted the Government had been ‘absolutely straight forward’ on what the rules are.

    To add to the uncertainty, the EU today announced that its member states will welcome fully-vaccinated Britons this summer without the need for virus tests or quarantine.     

    Sir Keir Starmer

    Boris Johnson

    Sir Keir Starmer today accused Boris Johnson at PMQs over ‘losing control’ over the ‘amber list’ travel chaos 

    Gillian Keegan had deepened the sense of chaos over the traffic light rules after a day in which a series of senior figures contradicted each other

    Gillian Keegan had deepened the sense of chaos over the traffic light rules after a day in which a series of senior figures contradicted each other

    Hundreds of flights to amber countries have already left the UK and demand for foreign breaks has gone through the roof. Pictured: Departures at Heathrow Airport

    Hundreds of flights to amber countries have already left the UK and demand for foreign breaks has gone through the roof. Pictured: Departures at Heathrow Airport

    The traffic light policy for foreign holidays descended into farce tonight with ministers accused of sowing'mass confusion'. On a chaotic day, George Eustice (pictured) first suggested trips to'amber' countries to see friends and family were acceptable

    George Eustice yesterday suggested trips to ‘amber’ countries to see friends and family were acceptable, but he was quickly contradicted by the PM

    How ministers have contradicted each other on ‘amber list’ travel

    Health Secretary Matt Hancock on Monday: ‘If it isn’t on the green list, then unless you have an exceptional reason you shouldn’t be travelling there.’

    Environment Secretary George Eustice on Tuesday morning: ‘We don’t want to stop travel altogether and the reason… that we have the amber list is there will be reasons why people feel they need to travel either to visit family or indeed to visit friends.’  

    Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday lunchtime: ‘I think it’s very important for people to grasp what an amber list country is: it is not somewhere where you should be going on holiday, let me be very clear about that.’ 

    Health Minister Lord Bethell on Tuesday afternoon: ‘Travelling is dangerous. That is not news to us or to the people who get on those planes in the first place. We do ask people, particularly as we go into the summer, travelling is not for this year, please stay in this country.’

    Welsh Secretary Simon Hart on Tuesday evening: ‘Some people might think a holiday is essential. I can think of a quite a lot of people who do think that, but it’s about common sense we’re good at common sense.’ 

    Skills Minister Gillian Keegan on Wednesday morning: ‘What we are saying is the amber list is not to go on holiday, not for pleasure travel at the moment. It’s not in legislation, we haven’t legislated to ban people from going on holiday abroad. This is guidance.’

    Sir Keir seized on the chaos at PMQs as he demanded answers from Mr Johnson. 

    The Labour leader said: ‘I think everybody would agree that having moved 170 countries to the amber list absolute clarity is needed about the circumstance in which people can travel to an amber country.

    ‘Yesterday morning the Environment Secretary said people can fly to amber list countries if they wanted to visit family or friends.

    ‘By the afternoon a government health minister said nobody should travel outside Britain this year and travelling is dangerous.

    ‘The Prime Minister said that travel to amber countries should only be where it is essential. By the evening the Welsh Secretary suggested some people might think a holiday is essential.

    ‘The Government has lost control of the messaging so can the Prime Minister answer a really simple question that goes to the heart of this? If he doesn’t want people to travel to amber list countries, if that is his position, he doesn’t want them to travel to amber list countries, why has he made it easier for them to do so?’

    Mr Johnson hit back and said: ‘I think after more than a year of this I think the right honourable gentleman would understand that what the public would like to see is some effort to back up what the Government is saying, to deliver clarity of message.

    ‘On his point of legal bans, as he knows we are trying to move away from endlessly legislating for everything and to rely on guidance and asking people to do the right thing.

    ‘And it is very, very clear. You should not be going to an amber list country except for some extreme circumstance such as the serious illness of a family member.

    ‘You should not be going to an amber list country on holiday… and if you do go to an amber list country then as I say we will enforce the 10 day quarantine period and if you break the rules you face very substantial fines.’

    Mr Hancock was asked to apologise for the chaos at a press conference this evening but he said: ‘We have been absolutely straight forward about this and the thing is I think that the public get it and understand.

    ‘If you look at what the Prime Minister said last week, what I said at the weekend, what I said in the House on Monday, what the Prime Minister said at lunchtime today, we have been absolutely crystal clear that you should not go to an amber or red list country on holiday, you should only go in exceptional circumstances.’

    He said the public has been ‘brilliant at exercising the personal responsibility that we are seeking’ and his advice was to ‘book a holiday if you want a holiday abroad, that is what the green list is for, or like me to holiday at home’.

    Ms Keegan had tried to clear up the mess in a round of interviews this morning as she said the ‘amber list’ was meant to be for ‘special circumstances’.

    ‘What we are saying is the amber list is not to go on holiday, not for pleasure travel at the moment,’ she told Sky News.

    ‘It’s not in legislation, we haven’t legislated to ban people from going on holiday abroad. This is guidance.

    ‘As with many of these things we have had throughout the pandemic this has been about relying on the great British public to be sensible and follow the guidance we have put in place and taking their own decisions really.

    ‘But, no, we wouldn’t advise going on holiday to the amber list countries.’ 

    The contradictory messages from ministers have left beleaguered travel chiefs begging for clarity. 

    Hundreds of flights to amber countries have already left the UK and demand for foreign breaks has gone through the roof. 

    EU approves Covid vaccine passports for holidaymakers: Tourists will be allowed into bloc without a test two weeks after receiving their second dose

    The European Union has approved the beginnings of a vaccine passport system that will allow tourists to visit without needing to test or quarantine, providing they have had their final dose of an EU-approved jab two weeks beforehand.  

    Until a uniform EU digital passport has been set up, the draft bill says that countries should be able to ‘accept certificates from non-EU countries based on national law.’ In the case of the UK, the NHS app is believed to provide the requisite level of proof.  

    Travel with a vaccine passport or a negative test will be allowed from non-EU countries on the ‘green list’ – those with low infection rates. 

    The Commission had proposed raising the threshold for the green list from 25 to 100 cases per 100,000 people but the EU ambassadors today opted for 75. 

    The UK, with 44 cases per 100,000, and the US, with 35 per 100,000, fall into this safe category.

    However, the bloc says it will have an ’emergency brake’ feature to prevent the influx of ‘variants of concern’ irrespective of a country’s infection rate.  

    The Continent will only accept those who have received an EU-approved vaccine: Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson.

    Conservative MPs demanded an end to the shambles. Huw Merriman, chairman of the Commons Transport Select Committee, said: ‘I’m afraid it’s a case of confusion reigns. 

    ‘What’s the point in bringing in a traffic light mechanism, labelling amber countries as ‘moderate risk’ and then, by implication, shading them red by telling passengers they shouldn’t go?’

    Another senior Tory described Lord Bethell’s comments as ‘idiotic’, adding: ‘If the Government is saying all travel is dangerous, then why has it just introduced a green list? 

    ‘The confusion around the amber list is bad enough without adding to it.’

    On Monday the outright ban on non-essential foreign travel was replaced by a green, amber and red traffic light system grading different countries by their Covid risk level. 

    But amid concern over foreign variants, ministers then announced that no one should holiday in an amber country even if they quarantined on their return.

    And in another twist last night it emerged that more than 100 direct flights have arrived from India since the country was placed on a banned list last month. 

    This means that up to 8,000 travellers have flown in from the sub-continent despite concern over an Indian Covid variant that threatens to undermine the easing of lockdown. 

    Speaking on Monday when the non-essential international travel ban was removed, Mr Hancock said people should only travel to non-green list countries if they have an ‘exceptional’ reason for doing so. 

    Asked by former health secretary Jeremy Hunt in the Commons for ‘absolute clarity’ on whether people should go on holiday to ‘amber’ countries, Mr Hancock replied: ‘The answer is no. 

    ‘The official Government advice is very clear that people should not travel to amber or red list countries or territories. 

    ‘People should not travel to amber list countries for a holiday.’

    He added: ‘If it isn’t on the green list, then unless you have an exceptional reason you shouldn’t be travelling there.’

    Britain also confirmed another 2,412 Covid infections, down two per cent on the same time last week

    Britain also confirmed another 2,412 Covid infections, down two per cent on the same time last week

    Department of Health data showed another seven Covid deaths were recorded today, down by 65 per cent from last Tuesday when 20 were recorded. This was far below the darkest days of January when more than 1,000 people died a day

    Department of Health data showed another seven Covid deaths were recorded today, down by 65 per cent from last Tuesday when 20 were recorded. This was far below the darkest days of January when more than 1,000 people died a day

    Positive test figures from the Wellcome Sanger Institute – which cover only lab-analysed cases in the two weeks between April 25 and May 8 – reveal the mutant Indian strain made up 50 per cent or more of all samples in 23 parts of the country by last week. Bolton and Blackburn in the North West remain the worst-hit areas with almost 600 cases between them and the variant making up 81 per cent of infections

    Heathrow closing T3 and T4 and Gatwick closing its South Terminal forces ‘red list’ passengers and arrivals from safer nations to mix in ‘super-spreader’ bottleneck at the borders

    Passengers flying into Heathrow from high risk countries are being forced to mingle with travellers from safer destinations as concerns mount that UK airports are turning into ‘super spreaders’. 

    Travellers have described being crammed into queues with no social distancing from other passengers and called the situation ‘mad’ and ’embarrassing’ amid fears covid documents are not being checked properly.  

    Heathrow mothballed Terminals 3 and 4 last year in a bid to save money due to the economic hit inflicted during the pandemic, meaning all arrivals are currently piling into the same lines at 2 and 5.  

    Insiders have said consideration was being given to opening another terminal, but that it was ‘economically not viable’ and that the Government will have to help foot the multi-million-pound bill. 

    The decision has led to chaos, with red, amber and green list passengers all mixing with each other as border insiders say they are ‘struggling’ to cope and warn the crisis will only get worse as the number of flights increase.

    A blame game has now ensued, in which Heathrow has blamed Border Force for the mixing of passengers, while Downing Street and the Home Office said airports are responsible for managing queues in a covid-secure way.   

    The Government is coming under pressure from Labour to toughen up the UK border after it emerged that more than 100 direct flights from India have landed in Britain since the covid-ravaged Asian nation was placed on the banned list of travel destinations three and a half weeks ago. 

    The mayhem then began yesterday morning when Mr Eustice said there might be ‘reasons’ for going to ‘amber’ countries, such as visiting family and friends – and people could travel as long as they observed quarantine rules on their return.

    Asked why, despite the travel advice, more than 150 aircraft left the UK for amber countries on Monday, he told the BBC’s Radio 4 Today programme: ‘We don’t want to stop travel altogether and the reason… that we have the amber list is there will be reasons why people feel they need to travel either to visit family or indeed to visit friends.’

    Within hours, he appeared to have been overruled by the Prime Minister, who insisted amber countries were off limits for holidays.

    Speaking yesterday lunchtime, Mr Johnson said: ‘It’s very important for people to grasp what an amber list country is: it is not somewhere where you should be going on holiday.

    ‘And if people do go to an amber list country – they absolutely have to for some pressing family or urgent business reason.

    ‘You will have to self-isolate, you’ll have to take tests and do your passenger locator form and all the rest of it, but you also have to self-isolate for ten days when you get back. And that period of self-isolation, that period of quarantine, will be enforced with fines of up to £10,000, so I think it’s important for you to understand what an amber-list country is.’

    The situation was then again plunged into confusion as Lord Bethell told peers that people should avoid international travel altogether, despite the Government’s ‘green list’. 

    Speaking in the House of Lords yesterday afternoon, the Health Minister said: ‘Travelling is dangerous. That is not news to us or to the people who get on those planes in the first place.

    ‘We do ask people, particularly as we go into the summer, travelling is not for this year, please stay in this country.’ 

    When Baroness Watkins of Tavistock called for consideration of the use of electronic quarantine tagging – as has been used in South Korea – the frontbencher said he was grateful for the suggestion.

    Mr Hart told Times Radio yesterday evening that travel to ‘amber’ countries should only be for ‘essential’ reasons. 

    Asked if that ruled out a holiday, the Welsh Secretary replied: ‘Well some people might think a holiday is essential. 

    ‘I can think of a quite a lot of people who do think that, but it’s about common sense we’re good at common sense. 

    ‘We’re good at common sense as a population, and, and, and I think that, I think it is absolutely clear what Matt and what the PM have in mind here and I, so I don’t think we can again create a confusion where none exists.’

    Labour’s Yvette Cooper, chairman of the Home Affairs Select Committee, said the fiasco showed ministers ‘haven’t got a proper grip’.

    EasyJet chief Johan Lundgren said: ‘Having set up a framework for international travel the Government seems to be single-handedly dismantling it and causing mass confusion with mixed messages and complex testing requirements.

    To add to the confusion, health minister Lord Bethell claimed holidays anywhere abroad were'dangerous' with foreign trips'not for this year'

    To add to the confusion, health minister Lord Bethell claimed holidays anywhere abroad were ‘dangerous’ with foreign trips ‘not for this year’

    Simon Hart

    Matt Hancock

    Welsh Secretary Simon Hart suggested that some people would view a holiday as ‘essential’. Matt Hancock, the Health Secretary, said on Monday that people should only travel to an ‘amber’ country if they have an ‘exceptional’ reason for doing so

    Professor Lockdown warns June 21 ‘freedom day’ is ‘in the balance’ and it will be 2-3 weeks before danger of Indian variant is clear

    Neil Ferguson today warned that the June 21 ‘freedom day’ is ‘in the balance’ and it might not be clear for weeks how much of a threat the Indian variant poses.

    The epidemiologist – known as Professor Lockdown – said changing the roadmap is under ‘active consideration’ amid uncertainty over the extent of vaccines’ ability to counter the new strain.

    Despite Boris Johnson suggesting yesterday that the picture will become clearer in ‘days’, Prof Ferguson said it could be two or three weeks before data provide firm conclusions. 

    But he said there was a ‘glimmer of hope’ that the variant might be less transmissible than initially feared.  

    The comments came as the PM faces a revolt from his own MPs at the prospect of the unlocking timetable being pushed back.

    One Cabinet minister told MailOnline there would be ‘serious trouble’ from the Tory benches if he does not stick to the date for lifting almost all restrictions. 

    And the Tory council leader in Bolton raised alarm about ‘civil unrest’ in the town if it is placed under a local lockdown.  

    The government has admitted a review of social distancing rules that had been expected this month could be delayed as they wrestle with the response to the latest variant. 

    Mr Johnson will be grilled by MPs at PMQs this afternoon before Health Secretary Matt Hancock holds a press conference in Downing Street at 5pm. 

    ‘Let’s face it – in this version of a traffic light system – green doesn’t mean green with all its testing restrictions and now amber, according to some ministers, actually means red. No wonder the British public is confused.

    ‘And in the meantime Europe moves forward with sensible travel frameworks which enable people to safely travel again while the UK tries to close down travel to all but a couple of countries.’

    Tim Alderslade of the trade body Airlines UK said: ‘The messaging around amber is a total mess. It’s ridiculous for ministers to now come out and needlessly cause confusion by advising against travel.’

    The Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman yesterday said people ‘should not travel’ to ‘amber’ countries for holidays. 

    The confusion came as EU ambassadors today backed plans to allow vaccinated UK holidaymakers to visit the bloc this summer.

    They recommended at a meeting this morning that rules should be changed to allow non-essential visits into the EU by people who have had two doses of a coronavirus vaccine, a spokeswoman for the Portuguese presidency of the EU Council said.

    The policy will need to be signed off by ministers of member states.

    People in England are able to use an NHS app to display proof of their vaccination status.

    A separate decision on whether to add the UK and other countries to the EU’s ‘safe list’ will be made on Friday.

    Travellers from locations on the list are permitted to enter the bloc even if they are not vaccinated, but are generally required to show evidence of a recent negative test.

    There are currently only eight countries on the list, including Australia, New Zealand, South Korea and Israel.

    Portugal and Greece are among the EU countries that have broken ranks by already welcoming UK tourists, but the addition of the UK to the ‘safe list’ would boost the chances of a major summer getaway.

    UK holidaymakers are currently prohibited from visiting several EU countries, including Spain, due to its ban on inbound leisure visits from outside the EU and Schengen Area. 

    The EU’s plans will increase calls for the Government to ease quarantine restrictions for vaccinated Britons who return to the UK after a holiday and to relax the advice not to travel.

    Analysis by the Mail found 151 flights took off from eight major UK airports to amber countries yesterday. 

    Of these, 95 were to European countries ranked amber, including 21 to Spain and 7 to Greece.

    TIMETABLE OF TRAVEL TURMOIL 

    March 16, 2020: PM’s call to stay at home

    Boris Johnson declares: ‘Now is the time for everyone to stop non-essential contact with others and to stop all unnecessary travel’

    Mar 17: Non-essential international travel BANned for 30 days

    Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab says advice reflects ‘pace at which other countries are either closing borders or implementing restrictive measures’

    May 22: Quarantine after arriving in UK

    Those coming to Britain are ordered to self-isolate for 14 days, starting from June 8. Anyone who flouts the rules faces a fine of up to £1,000

    Apr 4: Non-essential travel ban extended INDEFINITELY

    Jun 27: The dawn of travel corridors

    The chance of quarantine-free travel is announced, beginning from July 10. The news prompts an explosion in summer holiday bookings

    Jul 3: Quarantine-free destinations unveiled

    Travel corridors established with some 75 countries, including Spain and France

    Jul 25: Spain travel corridor closed

    Quarantine brought back for travellers from Spain after it sees a spike in Covid cases

    Aug 13: France and netherlands travel corridors closed

    Sep 4: Airport covid tests ruled out by pm

    Mr Johnson said screening passengers would give a ‘false sense of security’ and only catch 7 per cent of cases.

    Nov 5: Non-essential travel banned (again)

    Second national lockdown begins. Britons are once again banned from going on holiday.

    Dec 2: Travel resumes (except for tier 4)

    New tier system introduced in UK. Travel resumes for most – but those in Tier 4 need a ‘legally permitted reason to leave home’.

    Jan 6, 2021: Third ban on non-essential travel

    Third lockdown begins

    Jan 15: Get tested before coming to uk

    Those coming to Britain are required to take a PCR test before reaching the UK. They must then self-isolate for ten days to combat the spread of new Covid variants

    Feb 15: Enforced hotel quarantine for some

    Travellers from countries on the Government’s list of banned countries now face ten days of quarantine in approved hotels, at a cost of £1,750

    May 17: Holiday ban lifted – and traffic light system begins

    Those flying in from ‘red’ countries still face hotel quarantine – but Britons are now legally free to travel to nations on the ‘amber’ and ‘green’ lists.

    Trips to the 12 green destinations, such as Portugal, are quarantine-free, but going to an amber country means you must self-isolate afterwards.

    May 17 (yes, the same day): PM warns against holidays to amber countries

    Downing Street spokesman says Britons should only take breaks in ‘green’ nations – prompting fury from travel industry (and exasperated holidaymakers, too)

    Spanish and Greek tourism bosses want their islands on the UK’s green list

    ByDavid Churchill and Gerard Couzens For The Daily Mail 

    Spanish and Greek tourism chiefs yesterday urged the UK to move their islands on to the green list for travel.

    Fourteen-day infection rates in the Balearics have dropped below 50 cases per 100,000, the second lowest level among Spain’s 17 regions. Majorca has an infection rate of 42.74 per 100,000, Ibiza 25.69 and Formentera 16.51. Menorca’s is 76.02.

    However the islands are lumped in with ‘amber’ mainland Spain where rates are higher. Portugal, which is on the green list, has a rate of around 49 per 100,000, according to the data from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.

    Spanish and Greek tourism chiefs yesterday urged the UK to move their islands on to the green list for travel. Majorca (pictured) has an infection rate of 42.74 per 100,000, Ibiza 25.69 and Formentera 16.51. Menorca's is 76.02

    Spanish and Greek tourism chiefs yesterday urged the UK to move their islands on to the green list for travel. Majorca (pictured) has an infection rate of 42.74 per 100,000, Ibiza 25.69 and Formentera 16.51. Menorca’s is 76.02

    Iago Negueruela, tourism minister for the Balearic Islands, urged UK ministers to ‘regionalise’ its green list to reopen quarantine-free holidays.

    ‘The Spanish government shares our strategy that the islands are considered separately,’ he said.

    ‘We’re asking for it because we’ve maintained controls at ports and airports for our national travellers. The UK can have the tranquillity that we are controlling the access of those travellers when they enter the Balearic Islands.

    ‘That means for instance that someone coming from Andalusia would need to show a negative PCR test to come to Majorca.

    ‘With such a low accumulated incidence of coronavirus, the fact we’ve retained control over ports and airports, and our ability to detect and control new strains, the security is much higher than many of the countries that have received a green light rating.’

    Ministers have pledged to review the travel green list every three weeks and have not ruled out treating islands separately.

    Officials in Greece say infection rates on their islands have been falling while vaccination rates have ramped up. On Kos, Crete and Mykonos more than a third of inhabitants have received at least one dose.

    Vicky Loizou, the Greek government’s tourism chief, said she believed UK ministers ‘will change their decision’ not to treat the islands separately. She said British tourists were important to her country. 

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