Leaders in the Balearic Islands have urged the Spanish Government to impose tougher entry requirements on UK travellers after Thursday's announcement that the region would be added to the green list on June 30.
This follows Malta's ruling that, starting from this same date, arrivals from the UK will have to present proof of vaccination in order to visit the island quarantine-free. Unvaccinated travellers, meanwhile, will face self-isolation in Malta. It is yet to be confirmed whether the country will accept the NHS app as proof of vaccination.
Malta currently requires British holidaymakers to provide a negative PCR test result, but Britons can enter Spain and its islands without a test or proof of vaccination.
The Balearic Government has called for Spain to fall in step with the rest of the EU. "We’ve asked the Spanish government to establish controls for the arrival of people coming from the UK", Iago Negueruela, the regional official in charge of the economy and tourism, said on Thursday evening, according to The Guardian.
Francina Armengol, the region’s leader, made a similar call on Twitter, urging Spanish officials to set "strict and safe entry controls" for British tourists.
Scroll down for updates.
04:20 PM
Today's top stories
That's it from us. Here's a reminder of Friday's main headlines:
Confusion deepens as new ‘watchlist’ leaves foreign holidays in limbo
Grant Shapps: "No guarantees" on being able to travel this summer
British holiday makers won't face EU-wide travel ban
Green-list flight searches skyrocket
British holidaymakers 'pose more risk' to destinations than they do to us
Double-jab holidays likely to be a 'phased approach'
Sydney city centre and Bondi beach to enter lockdown
Ryanair adds 200,000 seats to green list destinations
Join us again on Monday morning for the latest travel news as it happens.
04:12 PM
Latest green list 'positive way forward'
More reaction from yesterday's travel review. Kirsten Hughes, the UK managing director at Travel Counsellors travel agency, said: “It is a very positive move forward to have some additional countries added to the green list.
"The addition of the popular destinations such as Spain’s Balearic islands, Madeira, Malta , Bermuda, several Caribbean nations, the British Virgin Islands the Cayman Islands etc. is going to make a huge difference not just to the travelling public but the 1,500 plus franchisees we have working with Travel Counsellors in the UK. Finally there is some light at the end of the tunnel and the real chance of a holiday abroad this summer.
"The travel industry and the travelling public has been craving more clarity and we hope to hear soon about the relaxation of quarantine rules for fully vaccinated people later in the summer."
04:04 PM
Huge increase in people searching for a holiday
Holiday operator Thomas Cook saw a tenfold increase to their website in the hour after the green list announcement yesterday – twice the level they saw after the first traffic light system was first revealed.
Majorca is the number one seller, with Ibiza and Malta in second and third. A spokesperson said that they’ve sold more holidays to the Balearic Islands in the last 24 hours than they did during all the other days in June combined.
Most bookings were for immediate travel or the first week of July, with others stretching later into September.
Alan French, chief executive of Thomas Cook, said:
Confidence is returning for last-minute breaks to the Balearics which is great to see. As we stare down the barrel of a weekend of grey British summer weather I am sure people will opt for a change of scene and reserve their place by the pool in the hotels of Majorca and Ibiza.
It would really help our customers if we could provide them with clarity on when their vaccination status will mean they won’t need to isolate if they book an amber list country and we would urge the Government to make an announcement very soon to enable that to happen. Europeans from July 1 who’ve had two jabs get to travel freely around the continent and it would be good for us to have the same benefit so families can get their much-needed weeks in the sun.
03:58 PM
Iceland to be first European country to lift all Covid restrictions
Reuters are reporting that Iceland will remove all of its Covid-19 restrictions tomorrow.
Health minister, Svandís Svavarsdóttir said today that from Saturday people will no longer have to social distance or wear mask.
Other restrictions included limits on public gatherings and a social distancing rule of two metres.
Ms Svavarsdóttir said: “We are restoring the society we are used to living in and which we have longed for.”
03:51 PM
Early signs 'encouraging' but travellers warned to be cautious
The UK and Ireland chief executive of lastminute.com, Reigo Eljas, has told The Telegraph that the green list changes were announced "early signs are very encouraging, but we have to remain cautious."
"However, we also think the changes introduced do not go far enough to help the industry and seem still confusing, for example FCDO advice for Spain excludes Canary Islands from the current travel restrictions and yet the traffic light system does not include Canary Islands in the green list.
"The majority of the destinations added to the green list are also added to ‘green watchlist’ which could see these destinations added back to amber list at short notice and further to this we have seen Germany pushing for an EU wide quarantine measures to be introduced for British tourists due to the growth in Delta variant in the UK, which could slow down the rush for the long-waited holidays.
"However we are expecting countries such as Spain, Portugal, Greece and Malta to maintain quarantine free access for British tourists and open their doors to Brits this summer."
03:40 PM
More reaction to Caribbean islands going green
Karl Thompson, the managing director of Unique Caribbean Holidays, Sandals and Beaches Resorts’ UK tour operator, has welcomed the appearance of Caribbean destinations on the travel green list.
He said:
I am delighted that over half of the destinations we operate in have been added to the Government’s green list. We’ve already seen an increase in demand from customers looking to book last minute holidays to Antigua, Barbados, Grenada and Turks and Caicos since the announcement.
This long-awaited good news is not only exciting for our customers, who want to travel as soon as possible, but also for our staff and trade partners who can’t wait to get booking. Our call centre is very much open for business and our team is ready to help customers with their new and existing bookings.
Yesterday’s news will not only drive business for last minute holidays but will also give much needed confidence to consumers who already have Caribbean holidays booked and are due to depart this year. The anticipated announcement next month to say that people who are fully vaccinated won’t need to quarantine on return to the UK, even if they’re visiting amber list countries, is very welcome and will drive bookings to destinations that aren’t yet on the green list, such as St Lucia, Jamaica and the Bahamas.
Mr Thompson warned that “the timing of yesterday’s announcement and the lack of clarity from the Government however has unfortunately left travel companies and airlines with little time to prepare for the increased demand so airline schedule changes will still present challenges.”
The white sand beaches of Antigua are green - Roberto Moiola /Sysaworld
03:30 PM
How is the vaccine rollout going in the UK?
03:28 PM
UK: The latest Covid-19 figures
Further 15,810 cases and 18 deaths confirmed A further 15,810 coronavirus cases and 18 deaths with the virus have been confirmed across the UK, the latest Department for Health data show.
On Thursday, 339,347 Britons received a dose of a coronavirus vaccine, which breaks down into 221,534 first doses and 177,813 second doses.
In the last seven days, coronavirus cases have risen by 47.9 per cent to 90,511, and there have been 110 deaths, a week-on-week increase of 52.8 per cent.
Hospitalisations with the virus have risen by 13.4 per cent, to 1,556. The UK has a case rate of 105.2 per 100,000 people.
03:20 PM
Cruise operator reveals name of under construction ship
European cruise line MSC Cruises has revealed the name of it’s newest ship: MSC Seascape.
The moniker was shared at a ‘coin ceremony’ at a shipyard in Italy, where the vessel is under construction. It is expected to take its maiden voyage in late 2022.
The sister ship to MSC Seashore will have a capacity of just under 6,000 passengers. The line has been keen to stress it’s green credentials, with a system in place to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions by up to 90 per cent.
The executive chairman of MSC Cruises, Pierfrancesco Vago, said the ships represented “our drive to advance with our long-term vision to achieve net zero-impact cruise operations.”
03:10 PM
'Don’t say travel isn’t important. My only happy moments in the last 15 months have been on holiday'
Emma Beaumont writes: "I know the impact of Covid-19 all too well and find it deeply painful when people downplay its severity. In early April 2020, my father-in-law died after contracting the virus. He was only 58. The shock and snapshots of horror that followed, from my husband Adam not being able to see his grieving mother for weeks to a three-person funeral, are still hard to grapple with.
"Because of what we’ve been through I understand strict border policies, though it’s quite clear our half-way-house system has been the worst of all worlds. However, the sneering comments from certain MPs and self-appointed Twitter experts on the ‘selfishness’ of people wanting to take holidays really rankle."
Read her story here.
emma beaumont
02:59 PM
Reaction: Green list is ‘incredibly disappointing’
Club Med has confirmed search traffic for its resort in Turks & Caicos, which was added to the green watchlist last night, is up 145 per cent week on week and bookings for July have doubled – however its boss has described the latest update as "incredibly disappointing."
Estelle Giraudeau, Managing Director, UK & Northern Europe at Club Med said:
It is still so incredibly disappointing to have such few countries added to the UK government’s green list and with all new destinations (with the exception of Malta) being added to a green watch list. Of course this doesn’t instil huge confidence in Brits booking trips in the knowledge that a country’s status can change at a moment's notice.
The UK government needs to recognise that the rest of Europe has continued to move forward with easing travel restrictions, yet the UK is once again being left behind, with Brits at risk of missing out on hotel and resort availability in popular destinations should they change in status later in the summer. The delay in opening up travel to those who are fully vaccinated is also another setback for resuming international travel more freely and Club Med, along with the rest of the sector will continue to apply pressure to instil change and get the travel industry back on its feet.
02:49 PM
Pilot event at Hard Rock Hotel Ibiza ahead of green-list reopening
Ibiza clinched a spot on the green list last night, alongside its fellow Balearic Islands, and tonight the White Isle will host a pilot event at the Hard Rock Hotel to test the reopening of the destinations world-famous nightlife.
The event will host 1,500 key workers from the island and is being held in collaboration with the Asociación Ocio de Ibiza (AOI) – the association that represents Ibiza’s main discos, beach clubs and party brands. The wearing of masks will be compulsory at all times and drinks must be consumed at a table. There will also be a dance floor with capacity for 500 people.
ibiza
Vaccination status, prior infection and a negative Covid test, taken in the past 72 hours, will all be checked on entry to the event – those who do not meet any of these three requirements must undergo an antigen test at a designated location in the venue.
"The test event aims to show that leisure activity and events can resume with the application of preventive measures. It is a priority to demonstrate that a regulated events venue offers more health and safety guarantees than a clandestine party without any measures in place," said José Luis Benítez, the manager of the Ibiza Leisure Association.
02:36 PM
Grenada ‘delighted’ to welcome Britons
Grenada
Grenada is one of a number of Caribbean islands that have been added to the green list – good news for vaccinated travellers who have been welcomed on the island since May 1, with reduced quarantine restrictions (just 48 hours).
Hon. Dr Clarice Modeste Curwen, Minister for Tourism, Civil Aviation, Climate Resilience and the Environment in Grenada said:
We’re delighted that Grenada has been included on the UK’s green list for holidaymakers and the travel and tourism sector alike.
With just 161 cases of Covid-19 since the onset of the pandemic and zero new reported cases locally since February, we are ready to welcome UK visitors back to our beautiful islands.
We have stringent protocols in place to ensure we remain one of the safest travel options around and over 90 per cent of our tourism workers are now fully vaccinated.
Grenada is the hidden gem of the Caribbean, offering breath-taking waterfalls, the friendliest people and 30 white sandy beaches – providing the perfect post pandemic getaway.
02:23 PM
Mapped: The red list
It wasn’t just the green list that got updated last night, there were six new additions to the red list: Tunisia, the Dominican Republic, Uganda, Eritrea, Haiti and Mongolia.
This means that any British residents in those countries will need to come home before 4am on Wednesday, June 30 to avoid a costly hotel quarantine.
Here’s a map of the 56 countries from which travellers face the toughest restrictions.
02:13 PM
Holidays in limbo: When will we get the green light for travel to Greece, Spain and Portugal?
greek island
While the latest update of the travel traffic light scheme was cause for mild optimism (many commentators expected no new green additions), it still leaves much of Europe off the travel map, including British favourites such as Greece, mainland Spain and Italy.
Reaction: Green list update is 'largely irrelevant'
The latest update to the traffic light system has been described as 'music to the ears' of the travel industry, but there’s a lot still left to do to enable summer holidays to go ahead smoothly this summer. Thomas Power at Pura Aventura said:
Yesterday's announcement will have been music to the ears of some in the travel industry but largely irrelevant for most of us. The prospect of quarantine-free travel to amber list countries is a more important step and feels tantalisingly close. Those are the positives.
However, the government's continued obfuscation around the decision-making process behind the traffic light system is frustrating. Whilst the government claim to be 'following the science', the data they point to does not support the decisions being announced. We need clarity as to the considerations being applied to the raw data in order to monitor the situation and plan for reopening.
01:48 PM
Green-list flight searches skyrocket
The latest Government announcement has given British holidaymakers the boost they needed to start planning their next getaway.
British Airways has reported a 455 per cent increase in online searches for green list destinations on Thursday, compared to a week before.
Barbados, which joined the “green watchlist” last night, was the most searched for on its website, while Menorca, also on the “watchlist”, saw the biggest increase of views by 1,700 per cent.
The airline is currently reviewing its schedule and has added some extra flights. Some routes – such as Malta and the Balearic Islands – have also been upgraded to larger planes.
01:38 PM
I'm a travel writer who has forgotten how to pack
traveller packing
It’s all very well being allowed to travel (in a limited way) again – if only we could remember how to do it, writes Chris Leadbeater.
This is a very silly admission for a travel journalist to make. Prior to the pandemic, I was out of the house and out of the country at least once a month – and I had a well-rehearsed procedure which ensured that I never had to think too much before leaving.
Telegraph readers on the new travel watchlist: 'We've become accustomed to confusion'
Telegraph readers have responded to the updated travel traffic light system.
Readers were left baffled by the introduction of the "watchlist", arguing that summer travel remained confusing and complex, particularly for those who had had both of their vaccine doses.
Virgin Galactic given green lit to fly customers to space
In, erm, out of this world travel news, Virgin Galactic has been given the go-ahead to fly paying customers to space after its licence was updated.
Sir Richard Branson's company was given the green light by the United States' Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Friday.
Virgin Galactic's previous licence only permitted them to conduct test flights but the updated version means the company will "proceed toward our first fully crewed test flight this summer".
Mr Branson had been tipped to be on board a space flight on July 4 from their spaceport in New Mexico, but this was dismissed as speculation.
12:55 PM
Who else is calling for more stringent rules for UK travellers?
Malta's decision to tighten rules for arrivals from the UK echoes concerns elsewhere in Europe.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel is leading calls for EU countries to introduce mandatory quarantine for arrivals from the UK.
Meanwhile, The Guardian reports that Portuguese prime minister António Costa has hinted towards tougher restrictions for British arrivals in the future.
12:44 PM
'The green watchlist is the latest in a line of ludicrous travel policies'
Once again, holidaymakers have been given absolutely no clarity, writes Nick Trend.
menorca - Gonzalo Azumendi
A “maximum transparency approach” so that “people can make their own decisions”. That is how Transport Secretary Grant Shapps described the government’s traffic light system for overseas travel on today’s BBC Breakfast.
His disingenuity is astonishing. The system is almost entirely opaque. Not only is it impossible to know exactly how and why his department is making its decisions, but there is absolutely no clarity about if or when the categories might change.
The latest update on the system, announced yesterday, added one destination – Malta – to the green list and another 14 destinations, including the Balearics, to what was described as a “green watchlist”.
Ryanair adds 200,000 seats to green list destinations
Ryanair is to sell 200,000 extra seats from the UK to Malta, Ibiza and Palma in July, August and September, it announced today.
Ryanair’s Dara Brady, said:
This [green list] announcement is a small step in the right direction and while we welcome the addition of Malta & the Balearics to the UK’s green list, we urge the Govt to immediately add equally safe destinations such as Cyprus, the Canaries & the Greek Islands, and also to immediately allow vaccinated UK & EU citizens to travel freely between the UK & the EU without restrictions.
The airline is offering prices from £19.99 for travel until the end of September 2021 for bookings made by midnight on June 27.
12:11 PM
Jet2: We ask the Gov't. to 'share the parameters' of traffic light decisions
The tour operator has seen bookings surge for the Balearic islands, Malta and Madeira following yesterday's green list announcement.
Jet2, which is restarting holidays on July 1, reported the highest bookings figures for the Balearics in over a year.
Steve Heapy, chief executive of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays said:
We are pleased that the UK Government has followed the science and put a number of popular destinations onto the Green List, although by looking at the data we firmly believe that more destinations should have been added. This is a missed opportunity, and we once again ask the Government to share the parameters with us so that we can understand their decision-making when it comes to international travel.
We knew there was a lot of pent up demand out there but the response from our customers has been truly incredible. Bookings to Majorca, Menorca, Ibiza, Malta and Madeira have gone through the roof, which shows just how much UK holidaymakers want to get away. We have already added more flights in response to that demand, and we are geared up and ready to restart flights and holidays on July 1.
12:00 PM
Reaction: 'We need more clarity'
News that independent islands have been added to the green list is welcomed by the industry, but there continues to be calls for more clarity from the Government. Sonia Davies, CEO Scott Dunn, said:
Finally, the Government has implemented its islands strategy. The addition of the Balearics, Madeira, many of the Caribbean islands and others is a definite step in the right direction, and overnight we have seen massive demand for these few destinations. But this step just doesn’t go far enough.
We continue to fall behind Europe and the US with our short sighted approach to travel and there is still much confusion… We need more clarity. There is speculation about the removal of quarantine for those who are fully vaccinated returning to the UK from amber destinations. Speculation, but nothing definite.
We know that the vaccination programme in the UK – and around the world – is proving that full vaccination significantly minimises the risk of severe illness and the ability to transmit the infection to others. By holding out not only are we causing severe, long-term damage to lives and to the economy but people are losing time. Time is precious and our lives continue to be put on hold – we need to be able to plan for when we can see loved ones again.
11:50 AM
Malta: Official statement
Malta is tightening restrictions on unvaccinated Britons, here’s a copy of the joint official statement from the deputy office prime minister, ministry of health and ministry of tourism and consumer protection:
In response to this news, our country will be protecting the health of Maltese residents, and of all those who visit our country, by demanding that from 30 June 2021, people flying to Malta from the United Kingdom they must present a vaccine certificate.
This means that only persons with a vaccination certificate recognized by the Superintendent of Public Health will be able to enter Malta from the United Kingdom without the need for quarantine.
This decision was taken on the basis of an epidemiological study of the situation of variant cases reported in the United Kingdom.
malta harbour
11:42 AM
Green list announcement sees holiday searches surge
Last night’s announcement has resulted in a surge in interest in summer holidays abroad.
Skyscanner has reported visitors to its website yesterday were 49 per cent higher than the previous week and following the news at 8pm traffic rose by 191 per cent.
"It’s fantastic to see the likes of summer holiday favourites the Balearic Islands and Malta being added to the green list. This marks a step in the right direction for UK travellers and the travel industry, and we expect to see holidaymakers respond positively by booking their summer travel," said Martin Nolan, Skyscanner Consumer Rights Traveller expert.
He shared some top tips for booking a green-list getaway:
Set up price alerts: This will ensure you’re the first to know as prices drop with any additional discounts or added supply
Expand your search: Browse multiple dates and airports will give you the best chance of a bargain.
Mix and match flights: Fares don’t have to be booked as returns, look at flying out with one airline and back with another to save money.
11:31 AM
Reaction: Green list is a 'very small step in the right direction'
The pressure on the Government continues as travel bosses share their thoughts on yesterday’s announcement. Andrew Flintham, managing director of Tui, said:
The latest announcement is the first very small step in the right direction.
We still believe international travel can be restarted safely in a more meaningful way by taking advantage of our incredible vaccination programme. We’re disappointed that the timelines to introduce the removal of quarantine for amber list destinations for those that are double vaccinated are vague, and are surprised to see that other popular destinations, like the Canary and Greek Islands are not on the green list.
We still look to the government for transparency of how data and methodology is being applied when placing countries on the green, green watchlist and amber list so that we can plan our operations and support our customers. We will continue to support our customers who are looking to go away this summer with our flexible booking polices, with free changes allowed 14 days before travel for anyone due to depart before the end of October, as well as our subsidised testing packages from just £20 for green destinations.
11:21 AM
Open up travel to deliver 'vaccine dividend', demands senior Tory
The chairman of the Commons' transport committee has called for ministers to "embrace the concept" of opening up travel for those who have been fully vaccinated.
Huw Merriman, Conservative MP for Bexhill and Battle, told Sky News people needed "more certainty", noting it was not just about holidays but about "people's lives, mental health and indeed careers".
"Where is the vaccine dividend we were all promised?" he added. "We know if you have been double jabbed you are protected against all known strains of the virus."
Mr Merriman said his "exact concern" was that the policy would not be announced until August, stressing he wanted it to come next week when there is an update on the traffic lights system.
"If we delay until August that could be the end of summer," he said. "This industry is on its knees... that could be the end of their careers."
11:05 AM
Sydney city centre and Bondi beach to enter lockdown
Sydney lockdown - Lisa Maree Williams/Getty
More than one million people in Sydney's central and eastern suburbs, including Bondi Beach, are set to go back into lockdown, until July 2, after a spike in coronavirus cases.
Officials reported 17 new cases on Friday, taking the cluster in the area to 65 cases.
New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian said: "We don't want to see this situation linger for weeks. We would like to see this situation end sooner rather than later.”
It is the first lockdown in Australia's largest city since December.
SYDNEY LOCKDOWN - Saeed Khan/AFP
bondi beach - Saeed Khan/AFP
sydney - Saeed Khan/AFP
10:55 AM
Reaction: 'We cannot afford another missed summer'
While celebrating the green list additions the travel industry is still pushing the Government to ‘work urgently’ to lift restrictions on travel further. British Airways' Chairman and CEO, Sean Doyle said:
While we welcome the additions to the green list, it’s essential we get travel back up and running as soon as possible. We cannot afford another missed summer. There are jobs at stake, Britons separated from family members and we cannot afford to allow the success of our vaccine programme to be wasted.
The plans to allow vaccinated travellers to move freely this summer are critical and we would urge Government to work urgently with the aviation industry to get this in place.
We would also like to understand whether this means our customers will benefit from reduced or eradicated costly testing procedures. A change in the official FCDO advice to allow people to travel to amber list countries will be critical to the success of this plan.
10:47 AM
Boat rentals are the new campervans
le boat
"Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing – absolutely nothing – half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats." So said Ratty to Mole, a creature simultaneously entranced by the river and in awe of it. Looking out over the boatyard of Thames-based rental company Le Boat on a cool May morning, I could understand this. Entranced? Certainly. But also nervous about being left in charge of a boat worth more than £300,000, and at the prospect of navigating roughly 25 miles of Thames as it wriggles in an undulating U-bend between Benson and Henley.
Anna Selby takes to water for a staycation with a difference, and shares her pick of the best boat holidays in Britain here.
10:22 AM
Reaction: 'Queues of customers making bookings'
The positive impact of the latest update to the green list have begun to materialise, with customers eager to get away. Derek Jones, CEO Kuoni said:
It’s great to have some meaningful destinations on the green list, including Caribbean islands such as Antigua and Barbados. It’s a positive step forward which we welcome and we already have queue of customers making booking with us.
It's worrying that most green list countries have gone straight onto the ‘watchlist’ but our Kuoni Flex+ guarantee means that customers can still book with confidence knowing that, if things change, we’ll take care of them.
The best news from Grant Shapps was his announcement that later this summer, fully vaccinated travellers will not need to quarantine on their return from amber list countries. We hope and trust that this will happen as soon as is safely possible.
10:00 AM
Former Balearics president welcomes green list news
Former president of the Balearic Islands Jose Ramon Bauza has welcomed them being added to the Government's green travel list this month.
He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that the Spanish islands are "looking forward to" welcoming Britons again.
He added: "It is a safe destination and our industry is absolutely more than prepared to have safe tourism."
Asked if Spain would bend to the demands of Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron, he said: "We know that vaccination is working very well and in fact in (the) UK it's working so far."
British holidaymakers now have a handful more viable destinations to choose from for a summer holiday, but there are rules and restrictions in place, even for countries on the green list.
Reaction: 'Omission of the Greek islands is puzzling'
The travel industry continues to react to the latest announcement from the Government. Seamus McCauley at Holiday Extras, said:
After a year and a half of the lockdowns, everyone just wants to get out there again to explore, relax and reconnect with friends and family overseas. The promise of the vaccine programme was a simple one - get vaccinated and get your freedoms back. All over Europe, America and the world countries are cautiously and safely reopening their borders so it’s no surprise that British travellers who’ve kept up our end of that deal have been getting itchy feet.
The updates to the green list are a step in the right direction. It’s good to see our government finally acknowledging some of the countries that should have been added to the green list three or in some cases six weeks ago. Malta, the Balearic Islands, and Madeira are all great holiday destinations and we’re looking forward to helping our customers have hassle-free trips there this summer. The continued omission of the Greek islands is puzzling though - some islands have no cases at all.
greek island
09:25 AM
Labour calls for simpler travel rules to avoid 'drama' this summer
Amid ongoing confusion of the new "green watchlist" Shadow transport secretary Jim McMahon said the Government should provide a simpler approach to its international travel lists in order to avoid "drama" this summer.
The Labour MP told BBC Breakfast: "What the green watchlist doesn't say is whether they are on the watchlist currently because they have high rates of concern but overall is heading in the right direction, or is it that they previously had reasonable levels but is now heading in the wrong direction?
"So what we have been calling for is a more simplified list.
"Either it is not safe to go or it is safe to go, and then have a country-by-country assessment so passengers know, is that country heading in the right direction or the wrong direction, because if you're booking a holiday in two or three weeks' time, you are going to want to know if the country is heading in the right or the wrong direction."
09:11 AM
The Green List Holiday Guide
With a handful of new additions to the green list those keen to escape to foreign shores have reason to celebrate – as long they follow advice, have the correct insurance and make sure their booking is protected against last-minute changes a summer holiday is still on the cards.
If you are considering picking out a holiday from this ever so slightly growing selection of possibilities, here we explain where – and how – you can do it in the ultimate Green List Holiday Guide.
gibraltar
08:59 AM
Portugal hints at tougher border restrictions for Britons
Portugal - Getty
The Guardian reports that the Portuguese prime minister António Costa has hinted towards tougher restrictions for British arrivals, who have been permitted to enter Portugal without the need to quarantine since mid-May.
Costa said: “We imposed quarantines for countries where case numbers are above the threshold, which wasn’t the case with the UK.” Case rates have now changed and the UK now has the worst coronavirus case rate in Europe, due to the spread of the Delta variant.
There’s pressure from the bloc and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who is leading calls that all EU countries introduce mandatory quarantine for travelling Britons – but no rule changes have been confirmed.
08:48 AM
Grant Shapps defends introduction of green 'watch list'
08:37 AM
Double-jab holidays likely to be a 'phased approach'
Hope is rising for vaccinated British travellers who could soon swerve quarantine on their return home for amber-list destinations, but any lifting of restrictions is likely to take a “phased approach”, according to Transport Secretary Grant Shapps.
Speaking to LBC radio this morning, Mr Shapps said:
Increasingly, scientific data is showing that if you have had two jabs then you're pretty well protected and much less likely to carry the disease to other people as well, and therefore we might be able to have a situation where people who are jabbed going to an amber country as if they were going to a green country, meaning they would not have to quarantine.
But there are quite a lot of things we need to sort out before we can do that.
What would happen with children, for example? The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) have yet to opine on whether children should be able to get vaccines or not.
What happens because not everyone can get a vaccine? How do you treat people who didn't get their vaccine in the UK and therefore don't have evidence of it?
So there are a lot of things we are working through still and so I'll come back next month and say more.
Mr Shapps said he will not be making any further announcement before July 19.
08:27 AM
British holidaymakers 'pose more risk' to destinations than they do to us
Professor Adam Finn, from the University of Bristol and who sits on the joint committee on vaccination and immunisation, says the islands which were added to the green travel list "pose very limited risk to the UK".
He told Sky News: "People coming from this country may take the virus with them. We actually pose more of a risk to other places than they do to us."
The current seven-day case rate in newly-green-listed Malta is 2.94 per 100,00 – the island has fully vaccinated 68 per cent of its population.
JCVI member, Adam Finn tells #KayBurley "in order to avoid a winter surge" of #COVID19 cases "we may well need to use booster doses" of the vaccine, particularly in the elderly and vulnerable population, and health care workers.
British holiday makers won't face EU-wide travel ban
British holiday makers will not face an EU-wide travel ban, Grant Shapps has insisted this morning, Emmanuel Macron yesterday backed Angela Merkel's call to impose quarantine for all British tourists entering the bloc.
At a Brussels summit the pair lobbied leaders of tourism-dependent EU countries to agree the same stance, criticising "a failure even today to adequately control arrival from non-EU states where virus variants are proliferating."
But the Transport Secretary stressed that each country would take its own decision, suggesting that Germany and France were concerned because of having to "catch up" on the vaccine programme.
Amber list holidays for fully jabbed Britons 'later in summer'
Fully vaccinated holidaymakers will face multiple Covid tests under the Government's plans to lift quarantine for travel to amber list countries.
Ministers are proposing that double-jabbed Britons will still have to take a pre-departure test as well as paying for a PCR test on day two after their arrival back in the UK in return for not having to quarantine ten days at home.
The tests will be required not just to travel to amber list countries but also for holidays in green list destinations as part of the Government’s efforts to prevent potential new variants from entering the UK that could undermine the current vaccines.
Grant Shapps: "We are just being completely open with the data"
Grant Shapps continues to be pressed this morning to explain the new "green watchlist."
He told Sky News: "It means they are on the green list, you can go and it is treated like a green list country, but we are just being completely open with the data that the scientists have given us in saying, there are one or two concerns, it might mean we have to perhaps respond quickly on there, so we've said it is the green watchlist in order that people can see exactly what we're seeing.
"I do have to say whoever is booking to go anywhere this summer at all, travel insurance, making sure your flights are changeable, making sure the accommodation is changeable - all those things are going to be very important in this particular year and I think people will need to weigh up whether that is going to work for them or not."
07:42 AM
Malta: What are the rules?
650,000 British holidaymakers visited Malta in 2019, according to the Times of Malta – making it the island nation’s largest tourism market.
From Wednesday at 4am Britons will once again be able to visit, but face restrictions on arrival, including quarantine for those unvaccinated, as well as the requirement to carry out mandatory testing before they return to the UK and on the second day back at home – as per the “green list” rules.
Here’s a reminder of those rules:
07:36 AM
Grant Shapps: "No guarantees" on being able to travel this summer
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has said there are "no guarantees" on being able to go on a summer holiday abroad this year, as restrictions can "change relatively quickly."
Speaking in BBC Breakfast Mr Shapps said people "must be aware" there are "complications" this year and that the government is "just trying to provide guidance".
07:31 AM
Which countries are on the green list?
14 countries were added to the green list last night, but it’s not as simple as you’d hope – the watchlist creates a new layer of uncertainty for holidaymakers.
Find out which countries are now on the green list, when you can travel to them and what the watchlist means, here.
07:22 AM
Confusion deepens as new ‘watchlist’ leaves foreign holidays in limbo
Ministers were on Thursday night accused of making summer travel more "complex and confusing" after warning holidaymakers that their trips could be scuppered at the last minute.
The Government announced that 14 destinations – including the holiday islands Mallorca, Ibiza, Malta and Madeira – would be opened up, allowing holidaymakers to travel to them from 4am on Wednesday without having to quarantine on their return.
But 13 of the nations were added to a newly-created green "watchlist", meaning they are "most at risk" of suddenly turning amber.
Israel’s strike on Iran on Friday morning will not come as a surprise to Western observers – but it will cause great concern in Washington and London as the region tips closer towards an all-out war.
Many Malaysians have questioned the leniency shown to former PM Najib Razak after having his sentenced reduced. Here is A.Kathirasen's take on the matter.
The conventional wisdom is wrong. We need rational, controlled escalation from the Western powers in the face of Iranian aggression, not more of the sickening appeasement, delusion and cowardice of the past few days. The regime needs to be punished for its monstrous war-mongering, not mollified and placated by a bunch of Western ignoramuses who confuse weakness for virtue.
A Maryland high school student was arrested and charged with threat of mass violence after police say they discovered evidence revealing the teen had plans to commit a school shooting, authorities said Thursday.
While Western eyes are fixed on Tehran and Tel Aviv, Ukraine’s frontlines are showing clear signs of crumbling. There is a very real possibility they could crumble this summer if we do not throw the kitchen sink at Russia. Even if we do, it may already be too late for the weapons and munitions long promised by the West to save the day.
Aston Villa booked their place in the Europa League semi-finals in dramatic fashion by winning a drama-filled penalty shootout, where goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez received his second yellow card but was not sent off.
All but a small handful of Manchester City players and staff had already retired to the dressing room, dazed and doubtless a little confused about what had just unfolded, by the time Bernardo Silva started his slow trudge off the pitch.
A 39-year-old Singaporean woman was found dead with multiple stab wounds after going missing in Spain, and a Singaporean man has been arrested. Read on.
Tensions between Israel and Iran have reached new heights as Tehran repeats its warnings that a response to its own missile attack could be lethal for the region
