French relations

The announcement by Holyrood and Westminster of a 14-day quarantine period for people entering the country from France has all the hallmarks of arrogance and ineptitude one has come to expect of the Johnson-sturgeon duo.

There’s been a flare-up in the infection rate in parts of France, but the death rate remains lower than here as does the rate of people admitted to intensive care.

This farrago harms our relations with France at a time when we need them to be as good as possible and causes untold difficulties for huge numbers of people. With their scant attention to detail, the pair may believe their brand of fatuous political gesturing will win political support, but the half-million Brits “lost in France” are likely to demonstrate the opposite is true.

Given the tunnel is now our gateway into Europe, what happens to commercial traffic driving through France on its way to Britain? In their obsession not to leave themselves exposed to viral criticism, neither leader gives a hoot about the expense, upheaval and chaos such arbitrary decisions cause; nor the ill will in France when we need its cooperation over Brexit, the boat people and tourism.

(DR) JOHN CAMERON Howard Place, St Andrews