The Home Secretary has warned that people who are trying to leave the UK will be turned back at ports and airports.
Travellers were read the riot act by Priti Patel last night and said that more police will be at ports and airports and there will now be a huge squeeze on “non-essential” journeys.
The Home Secretary told MPs said that people will have to fill out a legal declaration and will have to prove that their journey is essential, which will be checked out prior to a person attempting to travel.
She swiped that “going on holiday is not a valid reason for travel.”
Patel told MPs in the House of Commons, “It is clear that there are still too many people coming in and out of our country each day.
“And today I am announcing further action to strengthen the health measures we already have at the border, but to reduce passenger flow so that only a small number of people for whom it is absolutely essential to travel are doing so and therefore reducing the risk to our world-leading vaccine programme.”
Patel said that “people should be staying at home unless they have a valid reason to leave,” such as travelling for work.
“We will introduce a new requirement so that people wishing to travel must first make a declaration as to why they need to travel.
“This reason for travel will be checked by carriers prior to departure and this approach effectively mirrors the checks on arrivals that are already in place with the passenger locator form.”
Boris Johnson told MPs on Wednesday, “I want to make clear that under the stay at home regulations, it is illegal to leave home to travel abroad for leisure purposes and we will enforce this at ports and airports by asking people why they are leaving and instructing them to return home if they do not have a valid reason to travel.
“We have also banned all travel from 22 countries where there is a risk of known variants including South Africa, Portugal and South American nations.
“And in order to reduce the risk posed by UK nationals and residents returning home from these countries, I can announce that we will require all such arrivals who cannot be refused entry to isolate in Government provided accommodation, such as hotels, for 10 days without exception.
“They will be met at the airport and transported directly into quarantine. The Department of Health and Social Care is working to establish these facilities as quickly as possible.”
Airlines have hit out at Patel and said these legal declarations will pose “challenges” with fears check-in staff will be told to make their own judgement.
The Home Office as yet have not produce an example of what this declaration form will look like, or when the scheme will start.