Ministers have been accused of using “confused and contradictory” language over foreign travel, with Keir Starmer using prime minister’s questions to say this risks allowing more new variants of coronavirus into the country. Amid particular criticism about seemingly contradictory guidance on travel to amber list countries, the Labour leader told Boris Johnson he had “lost control of the messaging”. But Johnson insisted the guidance on travel to the 170 or so amber list countries was “very, very clear”. He told the Commons: “You should not be going to an amber list country unless 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.” Johnson also said there was “increasing confidence” that existing vaccines were effective against the B.1.617.2 variant of coronavirus first identified in India, which is viewed as more transmissible and a possible obstacle to plans to end many lockdown rules on 21 June. Johnson did not say what evidence underpinned this. On Tuesday the environment secretary, George Eustice, said that people could travel to amber list countries to see family and friends. Shortly afterwards Johnson contradicted this, saying it should only happen for urgent family or business. Then in the House of Lords on Tuesday night, the health minister Lord Bethell said people should not travel at all, even to green list countries. He said: “We do ask people, particularly as we go into the summer, travelling is not for this year, please stay in this country.”
And also on Tuesday, the Welsh secretary, Simon Hart, told Times Radio the public should ask themselves whether a trip to a country on the amber list was essential, before conceding that “some people might think a holiday is essential”. At PMQs, Starmer cited the various statements and said: “The government has lost control of the messaging. So can the prime minister answer a really simple question that is at the heart of this: if he doesn’t want people to travel to amber list countries, if that’s his position, why has he made it easier to do so?” Reiterating that such travel should only be for vital reasons, Johnson said: “We are trying to move away from endlessly legislating for everything, and to rely on guidance, asking people to do the right thing.” Earlier on Wednesday the education minister Gillian Keegan said travel to amber list destinations was supposed to be for “special circumstances” such as business or funerals, while noting that the traffic light system that splits countries into green, amber and red was only advisory.
Travelling to amber countries is not illegal, although people returning to the UK from one need to take a series of Covid tests and quarantine at home for 10 days. EasyJet and Tui have said they will offer holidays to places on the amber list. “What we are saying is the amber list is not to go on holiday, not for pleasure travel at the moment,” Keegan 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.”