The government has said new measures requiring those arriving to the UK to self-isolate for 14 days will not apply to people arriving from France.
The news comes despite London mayor Sadiq Khan urging the government to apply the rule to Eurostar passengers as well as air passengers.
In a joint UK-France statement issued on Sunday evening, Boris Johnson and Emmanuel Macron said cooperation was “necessary for the management of our common border.”
The statement confirmed that “no quarantine measures would apply to travellers coming from France at this stage” and that “any measures on either side would be taken in a concerted and reciprocal manner.”
The UK and French governments will consult on any measures applying between the two countries in the coming weeks.
Chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee Yvette Cooper asked the government to publish any scientific advice on exempting France from the rule.
Many questions.
— Yvette Cooper (@YvetteCooperMP) May 10, 2020
What’s the science behind exempting France?
What’s the science behind waiting many more weeks before introducing self-isolation/ quarantine measures that other countries have had in place for ages?
Why has none of the science on flights/borders been published? https://t.co/XGvvYh5RZv
The government has faced questions over why traveller self-isolation rules have been so lax so far into the coronavirus response.
The prime minister Boris Johnson will outline further detail on the govenment’s plans for the UK’s continuing lockdown at 3:30pm on Monday.
