SNP MP Cherry calls for UK Government to close the borders
Joanna Cherry has said the UK Government must introduce urgent health measures for people travelling to and from Britain to prevent international transmission of Covid-19 and its new strains, including closing borders to all but essential travel.
She claimed Home S ecre - tary Priti Patel was “repeating the same mistakes we've seen the UK Government make throughout this crisis” by failing to restrict international travel or introduce a rigorous system of health checks and quarantining.
The Edinburgh South West MP also said the Home Office must bring the UK “into line with other countries” where tighter measures are being placed on travel.
Her comments came just hours after First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said international travel was “effectively banned” in the new lockdown.
She also said she had discussed the prospect of new border controls with UK leaders.
“It is deeply concerning that the Home Secretary is repeating the same mistakes we've seen the UK Government make throughout this crisis by failing to introduce effective restrictions and health measures at the UK border to prevent the transmission of Covid-19 and its new strains,” she said.
“The UK Government was far too slow to act in the spring, allowing hundreds of thousands of international visitors to enter the country in the middle of a global pandemic without effective measures in place.
"It seems as though they haven't learnt a thing."