Red card for amber watchlist plans

PLANS for an ‘amber watchlist’ of countries have been abandoned after a fierce backlash.

Ministers had reportedly been considering the status for nations at risk of being moved into the red group under the traffic light travel system.

But following uproar from Tory MPs and travel industry complaints, government sources confirmed last night no such category would be added.

The rumoured list would have warned travellers if their destinations risked shifting to red – meaning they would have to pay £1,750 each to quarantine in a hotel for ten days.

Asked earlier yesterday if he backed the move, Boris Johnson said: ‘I understand how much people plan, prepare, for the summer holidays.

‘But we have also got to remember this is still a dangerous virus and we must try and stop variants coming in, so we have to have a balanced approach. What I want to see is something that is as simple and as user-friendly for people as possible.’

Paul Charles, chief executive of The PC Agency consultancy firm, had warned ITV’s Good Morning Britain: ‘It would be a disaster to bring in an amber watchlist on top of the amber list, the green list, the red list.’

And Huw Merriman, Tory chairman of the Commons transport committee, told the BBC: ‘An amber watchlist will be viewed as a massive red flag which is likely to cause bookings to countries on that watchlist to collapse.’

Ministers are due to meet on Thursday to review the traffic light system and decide on travel rules.