Rishi Sunak wants the UK to relax its travel restrictions, according to reports.
The Chancellor is said to have warned Boris Johnson that the current rules are ‘out of step’ with other countries, particularly given the number of Brits who have been vaccinated.
Mr Sunak outlined the concerns in a letter to the Prime Minister about the economic damage that the current border rules are doing, particularly to the tourism and hospitality industries, The Sunday Times reported.
It comes amid another summer of chaos for Brits trying to go on foreign holidays, with a ‘traffic light’ system for destinations – which means some arrivals have to go into quarantine hotels upon returning to the UK – changing frequently.
But concerns have been repeatedly raised by experts that allowing people in and out of the country could allow new Covid variants int – much like the more dangerous Delta variant which is believed to have been imported from India.
Countries like New Zealand have virtually shut their borders – helping them keep cases extremely low.
But Mr Sunak has reportedly told the PM that the UK’s entry and exit rules are ‘out of step with our international competitors’.
The Sunday Times quotes a source, who it claims is familiar with the letter, as saying: ‘Rishi has called time on the travel restrictions.’
It comes ahead of a meeting between ministers scheduled for next week to set the travel rules that will be in place for most of August.
Treasury sources did not deny Mr Sunak had written to Mr Johnson but said the communication was not related to next week’s review.
The Government has continually faced criticism over its border policy during the Covid crisis, with France hitting out this week after it was placed on a newly-created ‘amber-plus’ list as part of the traffic light system.
Yorkshire Day quiz: How many of these Yorkshire phrases do you know?
The move, in response to suggestions of growing cases of the Beta variant first discovered in South Africa, saw the quarantine exemption for the fully vaccinated scrapped, meaning those returning from France have to quarantine for 10 days.
There was confusion about why the move was made – with ministers offering different answers to questions about whether cases on Reunion, a French island 6,000 miles away, were partly to blame.
Observers have predicted that Spain could be the next country to go on the amber-plus list, in what would be another blow to British tourists.
There is also speculation that France may return to the amber list when the Government updates the travel lists on Thursday, August 5, meaning double-jabbed travellers could skip self-isolation upon returning.
No 10 sources said it was too early to speculate on what changes might be made next week, with ministers yet to see the latest data from the Joint Biosecurity Centre, which assesses the risks presented by international travel.
Fully vaccinated arrivals from the US and European Union are now allowed into the UK without quarantining.
Mr Sunak’s latest push comes days after scientists advising the Government warned that any increase in foreign travel this summer is a risk.
While cases have been falling in the UK, Covid-related deaths increased by 9% over the past week, with hospital admissions up by almost a fifth.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.
MORE : Summer holidays at risk as Spain and Italy could go on new ‘danger’ watch list
from News – Metro https://ift.tt/2WwLDdp
0 Comments