PMQs: Sun’s out, ambiguous traffic-light system for international travel out

Keir Starmer and Boris Johnson met today in the wake of the Covid ‘roadmap’ announcement. Specifically, that ‘freedom day’ has been delayed, with restrictions now set to ease now on July 19th rather than next week. As people continue to reel from the news, and in particular people working in the industries most affected, the Labour leader laid the blame squarely at the feet of the PM this afternoon. He condemned Johnson personally for his “indecision” over UK border policy, and demanded the scrapping of the ‘amber list’. The traffic-light system for international travel must go, Starmer concluded, in order to “save the British summer”.

Suggested by the Labour leader that the three-week delay in placing India on the red list, during which time 20,000 people arrived from the country, contributed to the UK now having a higher prevalence of the Delta variant than elsewhere, the PM argued: “Captain hindsight needs to adjust his retrospectoscope.” He told MPs that India was placed on the red list on April 23rd, while the variant was not identified until April 28th. This is technically true, but Johnson conveniently failed to mention that a closely related ‘variant of concern’ was identified in the country on April 1st.

How did Johnson justify the high prevalence of the Delta variant? According to the PM, the UK simply has a “better understanding of the variants in this country” due to the genomic sequencing being carried out. He added that the government took the “most drastic steps possible to place India on the red list”. On the UK having the highest rate of infections in Europe, and comparisons offered by Starmer on the lower levels of the Delta variant among our continental neighbours, Johnson sidestepped to stress that the UK has a higher rate of vaccination. But the charge from Starmer was clear. Johnson “squandered” the opportunity the British public provided in following the rules and getting vaccinated: “While the NHS was vaccinating, he was vacillating.”

Businesses and workers in the industries affected by the announcement of the extension of the restrictions, hoping to gain some insight into what economic support will continue, were sadly left none the wiser. “All they ask is that if they have to keep their businesses closed, they get the support that they need,” Starmer told Johnson. “But where is it?” Faced with the plight of those scratching their heads over how extended restrictions square with the phasing out of furlough and the tapering of business rates support, Johnson said only that he is “proud of the support we’ve given”, adding: “Thanks to the vaccine rollout, thanks to the cautious steps we are taking, we are seeing a shot in the arm for business.”

With both business and travel, then, Johnson is placing all his eggs in one basket: the vaccine. But while we can all appreciate the lightning speed and efficiency with which the NHS has deployed the jab, this leaves us keeping our fingers crossed that a high rate of transmission does not result in a more vaccine-resistant mutation. And, as Starmer highlighted this afternoon, ministers still need to answer the most pressing question following Monday’s announcement: how are affected businesses and workers expected to stay afloat while the already planned reduction in economic support continues apace. The PM’s assurance that he knows how “tough things have been”, today, will do little to assuage those very real concerns. As Starmer told Johnson: “It’s not what the government has done, it’s what’s needed now in light of the decision taken this week.”