Stanley Johnson's defended for Greece trip as Grant Shapps says travel warnings are just 'advice'

Shapps said the travel advice was optional: "The clue is in the name."
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Transport Secretary Grant Shapps defended the Prime Minister’s father today after he flew to his Greek villa in defiance of coronavirus travel warnings.

Stanley Johnson jetted to his four-bed home in Greece and dodged the country’s ban on direct flights from the UK by flying via Bulgaria.

The former Tory MEP ignored Foreign Office guidance which says no one should travel unless it is essential.

Mr Johnson told the Daily Mail he was in the country "on essential business" to ensure a property he rents out was "Covid-proof" before holidays restart.

The 79-year-old shared photographs on his Instagram account on Wednesday, showing him arriving in Athens and at an airport in a mask.

Grant Shapps said the Prime Minister's father ignore "advice" but not "restrictions"
10 Downing Street/AFP via Getty

Secretary of State Mr Shapps said the PM’s dad had ignored travel “advice” but “not restrictions”.

He told Sky News: “The advice says you have to make your own decision about whether you want to travel.

The Prime Minister's father shared a selfie as he flew to Greece, via Bulgaria
@stanleyjohnson

"What he won’t be able to ignore, of course, is…anyone returning to this country from a country not on the list has to quarantine for 14 days so that would apply to him the same as anybody else who has left the country.”

Pressed on his view about Mr Johnson ignoring the advice, he replied: “As I say, it’s advice. Everyone can decide what to do with the advice. The important thing is quarantine is in place.”

Asked if the advice was optional, he replied: “Well, yeah, the clue is in the name. But the quarantine isn’t.”

Asked if the Prime Minister's father was well within his rights to go Greece, he replied: “Yes. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office make it clear. They issued travel advice to check their website, there are a good reasons for that which will include things like insurance.

“But it is advice and people make those decisions. What isn’t advice and is legally restrictive is the quarantine and that would apply to him just as much as it would apply to anybody else.”

It comes ahead of the publication of a list of more than 50 countries that will not require people to quarantine for 14 days on their return to England from July 10.

Individuals will also have to fill in a passenger location form, stating which country they have visited and where they will be on their return.

Countries such as New Zealand, which has almost defeated coronavirus and is classed as “green”, may still enforce restrictions on passengers arriving there.

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