Chaotic messaging from UK leaves European countries in a rush to shut down borders

A lack of communication from Boris Johnson’s government to European leaders on the virulence of the new Covid threat, and Matt Hancock’s declaration that a mutant strain was “running out of control”, have greatly contributed to the UK travel ban, according to diplomats.  

The prime minister’s sudden announcement that the new strain was 70 per cent more transmissible than the original virus, and the health secretary’s dire warning of rampant infections, left governments abroad with no choice but to close doors as an emergency measure.  

The way the information was presented, hold a number of diplomats, points to the British government failing to foresee the potential international consequences of statements made for domestic consumption to justify new restrictions.    

Mr Johnson, at a Downing Street briefing on Monday evening, said that France is keen to “sort out” the ban on UK traffic within hours, following a phone call with President Emmanuel Macron.  

Meanwhile the European restriction on travel from the UK has been replicated around the world, including to Iran and India – two countries among the worst hit by the pandemic – Canada, Russia, and six Latin American states. In New York, Governor Andrew Cuomo said it was “reprehensible” and “grossly negligent” that “right now this variant in the UK is getting on a plane and flying to JFK”. US assistant health secretary, Brett Giroir, subsequently stated that the administration is examining the issue of travel from the UK.  

Eight other countries in the Middle East and North Africa, including Israel and Saudi Arabia, have halted all international flights for a week.  

European diplomats wanted to stress that the UK scientific community has been diligently sharing information on coronavirus with its counterparts. Scientists and health officials in a number of countries, such as Italy, were told about the existence of the mutant virus in October. They were, however, unaware of its supposed 70 per cent added infection rate until the British government announcement at the weekend.  

The UK has kept the World Health Organisation (WHO) informed of the developments over the mutant virus. But diplomats and officials hold that there was a lack of calls to senior European allies, as would have been the case in the past on matters of such gravity. The tensions arising from the Brexit negotiations have added, they maintain, to strains in communications.  

Angela Merkel held a conference call with Emmanuel Macron, Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, and Charles Michel, president of the European Council. The European Union’s member states are meeting on Monday under its integrated political crisis response mechanism for emergencies.  

The French government has stated that it wants to resolve the issue quickly, as long as there is transparency from all concerned. Clement Beaune, the deputy minister for European affairs, said: “We must take an urgent, hard measure, because it is about health protection. It’s 48 hours to do three things: clarify scientific information and provide transparency, 48 hours to coordinate even better at European level.” 

However, according to diplomats, a number of EU states are opposed to what they consider to be a premature lifting of measures, and support the position of governments such as Italy and Spain, who want to keep wider restrictions for longer.  

“There is certainly a feeling that the UK government presented things for domestic politics without thinking fully of what effect it will have in other countries,” said a senior western European diplomat. “But when you talk up high transmission rate and say the disease is out of control, then it is bound worry not only people in the UK but people and governments in other countries as well.”  

Mr Johnson cited the 70 per cent increased transmission rate for this new strain when introducing much tighter measures for household mixing at Christmas, and as he announced that London and much of the southeast and east of England would be joining a new tier 4 level of effective lockdown. 

A second diplomat echoed the view that Boris Johnson’s government failed to anticipate the international ramifications. He added that “the way it was done perhaps reflects the personality of this prime minister. There has not been much communication with European leaders in a number of issues.”  

The crisis in Britain has been highlighted in the European media with Mr Hancock’s “running out of control” headlined in France’s Le Figaro. Netherlands daily De Telegraaf stated: “Passengers of ferries from the UK are no longer welcome here.” Bild, in Germany, revealed that travellers from the UK were being held overnight in Hanover airport until they tested negative. Spain’s El Pais said “Europe shields itself from the United Kingdom for fear of the new strain of the virus.”