Human rights and their effect on virus

MR Mark Iles (“Incompetence not rights – to blame”, Opinion, January 16) ignored the unsympathetic effects the Human Rights Convention is casting over society. He dwelled where I made an error, by writing our borders were only closed once it became apparent other counties were circumnavigating the convention and closing their borders. The Government never closed our borders. Scotland and Wales attempted to close theirs!

According to Mr Iles, the UK never closed our airports during this pandemic, unlike many other nations who wisely did right at the start. He suggested that any future inquiry will put this down to sheer incompetence by the Government, rather than any concerns over human rights. Sadly, human rights will influence Government policies for ages yet to come.

Let’s consider an interview with Michael O’leary, chairman of Ryanair, who stated; “Airlines’ flights have collapsed from 2,000 a day to 10 flights a day.” From his appraisal, it could be assumed airports closed through lack of demand.

Then the travel industry was refunding money for cancelled holidays. Such news supported closed airports!

Thankfully the Government isn’t lamentable, as some folk believe, for failing to close UK borders at the start of Covid-19. As Government ministers could have assumed, as I did, the airports were closed through a lack of demand – i.e. no passenger flights coming in, only freight!

Focus on Australia and New Zealand. They closed their borders soon after the virus struck. Now, there are 34,000 Australians marooned in the UK. And a smaller number of New Zealanders are stranded here.

Social distancing means the airlines are unable to carry passengers to the maximum capacity. Since Covid-19, the Australia government only allows 500 people in the country a week. Spread 500 passengers over all the airlines flying there. You will understand why airlines simply offer first-class flights.

South Australia is extremely strict with folks from other states crossing their borders, if a person attempts it once, and is turned away, then tries for a second time, that person is jailed.

The Aussies are furious as top tennis stars that charter their own planes are allowed in for the Australian Open tournaments. Let’s hope they are Covid-19 negative, before arrival.

Nigel J Starbuck Bingham