Test, not quarantine, to save Global Britain

IN A barnstorming speech at Greenwich’s Old Royal Naval College in February, Boris Johnson described his vision for ‘Global Britain’: Open, outward-looking, generous, welcoming, engaged with the world, championing free trade.

Unless the Prime Minister rethinks his loathed policy on quarantining airport arrivals for 14 days, that dream risks being smothered at birth.

With one voice, Tory MPs and the leaders of aviation, commerce and tourism say these restrictions are inflicting grievous economic damage. If our skies remain shut, customers will go elsewhere. The consequent cull of businesses, jobs and prosperity will hobble Britain’s recovery – leaving us trailing our rivals.

The UK should therefore swap the blunt instrument of quarantine with Covid testing at airports. Ministers are unconvinced. But with the Sword of Damocles hanging precariously over the economy, it’s worth not airily dismissing.

The Government has been mocked for its U-turns. But if Boris is to achieve that vision of Global Britain, a U-turn on testing would be a step in the right direction.