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Senior French journo briefed that Macron phoned PM on Friday and said that if UK did not impose serious shutdown measures, French would have no choice but to close border to travellers from UK, & were ready to do so Friday. Says Elysee refers to UK policy as “benign neglect”
Senior French journo briefed that Macron phoned PM on Friday and said that if UK did not impose serious shutdown measures, French would have no choice but to close border to travellers from UK, & were ready to do so Friday. Says Elysee refers to UK policy as “benign neglect”
Not sure I buy wider point in the report that Fridays instruction here for pubs & clubs to close was a response to that call - that seemed to be the direction of travel anyway - but an insight into French thinking on UK approach that was hinted at elsewhere in French Govt earlier
French PM @france2tv Tuesday:
“goes without saying that if neighbouring states such as UK spend too long continuing to avoid these containment measures, then we’d have difficulty accepting British nationals who would move freely in their own country and then come to our country"
“goes without saying that if neighbouring states such as UK spend too long continuing to avoid these containment measures, then we’d have difficulty accepting British nationals who would move freely in their own country and then come to our country"
Macron-Johnson call definitely did happen on Friday.
as I suggested, UK sources say the PM announcement was going to happen on Friday anyway to improve social distancing compliance...
as I suggested, UK sources say the PM announcement was going to happen on Friday anyway to improve social distancing compliance...
BLOG on all this.
While yes UK move planned..
- France was “all set” to close border with UK on Friday afternoon, on concerns over lack of pandemic crackdown
- felt to be “politically unsustainable” for France to confine citizens while UK had free access bbc.co.uk/news/business-…
While yes UK move planned..
- France was “all set” to close border with UK on Friday afternoon, on concerns over lack of pandemic crackdown
- felt to be “politically unsustainable” for France to confine citizens while UK had free access bbc.co.uk/news/business-…
- Call did happen between Macron and Johnson when all this was discussed, Downing St adamant that instructing pubs & restaurants was always in science led action plan
- have been other nations concerned about early UK strategy, who have needed to be reassured...
- have been other nations concerned about early UK strategy, who have needed to be reassured...
- some private frustration in Cyprus, where they calculate 40% of coronavirus infections came from the UK.
- Cyprus Government conveyed to RAF base/ Sovereign Base Area that its very strict anti-Covid measures, not UK ones would be followed
- Cyprus Government conveyed to RAF base/ Sovereign Base Area that its very strict anti-Covid measures, not UK ones would be followed
Also were some private concerns in Dublin about differences of approach given context of a land border, but after Varadkar/ Johnson phonecall on Thursday, approaches are now promised to be kept as aligned as possible...
Also picking up general head scratching as to why UK doesnt attend European health ministers conference calls, where information about extent of overrunning of Italian health system was communicated early - this is precisely what changed strategy in now famous MArch 12th meeting
