‘They’re not coming from Mallorca, they’re fleeing a warzone’: Grant Shapps faces ferocious social media backlash after announcing people travelling from Ukraine will no longer have to ‘fill out a passenger locator form’
- Grant Shapps said he is relaxing travel rules for people coming from Ukraine
- Will mean people will no longer need a Covid test or passenger locator form
- But the announcement by Mr Shapps was immediately slammed on social media
- Users mocked the Transport Secretary and said changes were not very generous
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps today faced a ferocious social media backlash after announcing he is easing Covid travel rules for people fleeing Ukraine.
Mr Shapps said anyone starting their journey in the country will now not have to take a Covid test or fill in a passenger locator form.
But Twitter users slammed the announcement and said it was no where near generous enough amid growing calls on the Government to do more to help people trying to escape the Russian invasion.
Some mocked Mr Shapps, with one user tweeting: ‘They’re not coming from Mallorca mate they’re fleeing a warzone’.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps today faced a ferocious social media backlash after announcing he is easing Covid travel rules for people fleeing Ukraine
Mr Shapps said anyone starting their journey in the country will now not have to take a Covid test or fill in a passenger locator form
Boris Johnson has been under growing pressure in recent days to make it easier for Ukrainian refugees to come to the UK
Boris Johnson has been under growing pressure in recent days to make it easier for Ukrainian refugees to come to the UK.
Ministers have changed some rules to allow British nationals with family in Ukraine and Ukrainian nationals living in the UK to bring their relatives to Britain.
But the action has stopped far short of a full visa waiver, with ministers adamant that strict checks must be kept in place for security reasons after warnings from MPs that Russian agents could try to disguise themselves as civilians to gain entry to the UK.
Mr Shapps tweeted this afternoon to announce he is relaxing coronavirus travel rules for people travelling from Ukraine.
He said: ‘We’re supporting #Ukraine by making it easier for those who are fleeing conflict to travel to the UK.
‘Passengers who began their journey in Ukraine now do not need to fill in a Passenger Locator Form or take travel tests.’
However, his announcement was seized on by some Twitter users who said the Government should be doing much more to help fleeing Ukrainians.
One user said in response to Mr Shapps: ‘I wish this was a joke but this sadly is the best the UK is willing to do.’
Another user said: ‘Right and how do people in Ukraine actually get out of Ukraine to the UK?’
Another user mocked Mr Shapps and said that his ‘generosity is mind blowing’.
One user added: ‘You don’t have a clue, this is a warzone! Get yourself dropped into Kyiv with no passport or papers then try and make your way back to the UK.’
While domestic Covid rules have now been lifted in England, some do still apply to international travel.
People who are fully-vaccinated are required to complete a passenger locator form in the three days before they arrive in England.
Twitter users slammed Mr Shapps’ announcement and said it was no where near generous enough
The fully-vaccinated do not need to take any Covid tests before travelling to England or after arrival and they do not have to quarantine.
People who are not fully-vaccinated are required to take a Covid test in the two days before they travel to England.
They must also book and pay for a Covid test to be taken after arrival in England.
They are also required to complete a passenger locator form in the three days before arriving in the country.
The Foreign Office has now updated its official advice to state that ‘if you began your journey in Ukraine, you do not need to: complete a passenger locator form’ or ‘take a COVID-19 test before travel to England or book a PCR test to take on arrival’.
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