Holiday proves to be an air bridge too far for Shapps

GRANT SHAPPS was mocked by government figures yesterday after falling foul of his own “air bridges” policy by jetting off on holiday to Spain.

The Transport Secretary will have to self-isolate for 14 days when he returns after ministers closed the travel corridor with Spain on Saturday.

Paul Scully, a business minister, fell into the same trap by going on holiday to the Canary Islands.

Mr Shapps was unaware his colleagues were about to remove Spain from the “safe list” of countries when he set off on holiday last week.

On Saturday, the Government decided to reimpose a 14-day quarantine period for all arrivals from Spain after Matt Hancock, the Health Secretary, was shown data that revealed the virus is on the rise in 15 of the country’s 19 provinces. Mr Shapps faced criticism for going abroad when many of his colleagues are taking staycations. One government source said: “He will have to account for the fact that he made the strongest case for the air bridges policy and lobbied very hard for Spain to be included as a medium-risk country.”

Another Conservative source said: “Few people will fail to see the irony of what has happened to Grant.”

Mr Shapps yesterday wrote on Twitter that he was still working and held a video call with British airlines and the UK ambassador to Spain to discuss help for British nationals returning home.

Mr Scully disclosed that he was on holiday in Lanzarote and posted a picture on Instagram of a drink with the caption: “Best turn to gin. I’ll still be able to work. Just no shopping or running, I guess #quarantine.”

“I think it shows you the risk to everyone,” said Dominic Raab, the Foreign Secretary, when asked about his reaction to Mr Shapps being “trapped by his own quarantine”.