PM accused of incompetence over timing of closing borders in pandemic

BORIS Johnson has been accused of “incompetence” and risking UK safety after it emerged the Home Secretary had advocated closing the country’s borders to international travellers last March, at the start of the pandemic.

As the Labour Party demanded an urgent review of border policy, Keir Starmer challenged Mr Johnson on the issue during Prime Minister’s Questions.

And the Labour leader referred to Priti Patel’s reported remarks to the Conservative Friends of

India group, which condradicted her public defence of the Government’s decision not to enact a full arrivals shutdown.

In a recording of the Tory event, Ms Patel said: “On ‘should we have closed our borders earlier’, the answer is yes. I was an advocate of closing them last March.”

Mr Starmer, quoting her words, asked the PM why he had overruled the Home Secretary.

Mr Johnson responded by pointing out to MPS that last March Sir Keir had been adamant the UK did not need to close its borders and derided him, saying: “As usual Captain Hindsight had changed his tune to suit events.”

The PM declared: “We are in the middle of a national pandemic and this country is facing a very, very grave death toll and we are doing everything we can to protect the British public.

“That’s why we have instituted one of the toughest border regimes in the world, that’s why we insist that you have to get a test 72 hours before you fly.

“I’m delighted he now praises the Home Secretary, a change of tune from him. I’m delighted he is in favour of tough border controls because he wasn’t last year.”

Mr Starmer insisted it was not hindsight and repeated the same question about why he had overruled his Cabinet colleague.

Mr Johnson responded by saying the Government had instituted one of the toughest border regimes in the world and repeated that Mr Starmer had last March supported maintaining an open border.