Blair accused of breaking quarantine rules with US trip
Former prime minister pictured at Mayfair restaurant 10 days after White House visit, having ‘not been given exemption’
TONY BLAIR was last night accused of a “flagrant” breach of Covid-19 restrictions, after failing to self-isolate for a fortnight following a two-day trip to the US on a private jet.
In pictures obtained by this newspaper, the former prime minister is seen leaving a restaurant in Mayfair 10 days after his return from Washington DC last month.
The Sunday Telegraph understands that Mr Blair appealed to Whitehall officials for special dispensation from the Covid-19 rules, but that he was not issued with the formal exemption letter he would have needed to avoid the 14-day isolation period.
The Telegraph is not aware of any other exemption for which Mr Blair could qualify. He claims he was advised to follow rules on attending “international conferences”, having travelled to the US for a ceremony at the White House at which Israel signed agreements establishing formal relations with Bahrain and the UAE.
But the “international conferences” exemption to the rules applies to diplomats, staff at international bodies such as the UN and formal representatives at international conferences who have been “granted privileges and immunities”.
Mr Blair is considered a private citizen, having stepped down from his post-No10 role as Middle East envoy in 2015.
Those taking advantage of the exemption require “an exemption letter to show at the border”.
A spokesman for the former prime minister said he was invited by the US government because of the role he played in the agreement between Israel and the UAE – describing the ceremony as a “diplomatic conference”. The spokesman also insisted Mr Blair “posed no risk to anyone” as he was tested before his departure, on arrival at the White House, and again several times since returning to the UK. Mr Blair has been a vocal advocate of an airport testing regime to cut quarantine times. The spokesman added: “We believe he followed all UK and US government guidelines as advised.”
David Jones, a Conservative member of Parliament’s public administration committee, said it was “hard to see” how Mr Blair could rely on claiming he had been tested “when we haven’t got a testing regime”.
“It sets an appalling example to travellers if a former prime minister appears to flout the rules in such a flagrant manner,” he said.
Mr Blair, 67, flew to Washington DC on Sept 14. He was pictured with other guests on the South Lawn of the White House, holding a face mask in his hand as he posed for pictures with US political figures including Frank Luntz, the veteran pollster, and Kevin McCarthy, the Republican leader in the House of Representatives.
Mr Luntz said: “Tony Blair was a rockstar at this event. People were lining up for photos with him.”
He then returned to the UK on Sept 16. Ten days later on Sept 26 he was seen leaving Harry’s Bar in Mayfair, which boasts of being “one of the most elegant and sophisticated private members’ clubs in London”.
Mr Blair is believed to have travelled on a Falcon 7X jet, accompanied by a team of Scotland Yard protection officers, whose salaries and expenses are funded by the British taxpayer. The going rate to hire a Falcon 7X is about £7,000 per hour. He had recently returned to the UK from Italy.
In June, Mr Blair gave an interview in which he said UK coronavirus rules, including those around quarantining, were “not very clear”.
He told CNBC: “The main thing is to have the rules clear, and some of them, frankly, like the ones of quarantining when people come into the country now, are really not very clear.”
Last month, Mr Blair urged the Government to bring in mass coronavirus testing at airports and cut quarantine times to five days as an “alternative” to the blanket 14-day quarantine, saying it would have “significant benefits both to individuals and the economy”.
In July he also warned there was a “50/50 chance” the virus would surge again this winter, saying: “My anxiety about the Government at the moment is that it has still not really put in place that infrastructure of containment that is going to see us through a resurgence of the disease if unfortunately that
happens.” Rules introduced in June require anyone arriving in the UK to isolate for 14 days, unless they are coming from countries on the official “travel corridors” list, which has never included the US.
Official guidance states: “Self-isolating will reduce the chance of a second wave of coronavirus in the UK.”
It adds: “It can take up to 14 days for you to develop coronavirus symptoms after you catch the virus and in this time you can unknowingly pass it on to others, even if you don’t have symptoms.”
Those failing to follow the rules on self-isolation could be liable for a £1,000 fine, or potential prosecution.
Mr Blair’s spokesman said: “He was not refused exemption by the UK Government.
“He was told to follow the guidance on international conferences, which he did; the US Government had cleared the visit because it was for the diplomatic conference at the White House. Mr Blair was tested for Covid before departing the UK, on arrival at the White House, when he returned to the UK and has been tested several times since. All tests have been negative.”
A Foreign Office spokesman said:
‘Mr Blair was tested before departing, on arrival at the White House, [and] when he returned to the UK’
“The FCDO provides travel exemptions to diplomats travelling on business relating to the interests of the UK, representatives of international organisations, and their families and dependants.
“Those issued an exemption will not need to self-isolate.”
As of last month, police forces have only issued 38 fines from over 4,000 referrals from public health authorities.