• Privacy policy
  • T&C’s
  • FAQ
  • Meet the Team
  • About The London Economic
  • Advertise
TLE ONLINE SHOP!
NEWSLETTER
SUPPORT THE LONDON ECONOMIC
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Opinion
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Film
  • Food
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech/Auto
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Opinion
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Film
  • Food
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech/Auto
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
No Result
View All Result
Home Politics

‘High-value business travellers’ quarantine exemption sparks fury

"The Tories create one rule for the rich and another rule for everyone else."

Henry Goodwin by Henry Goodwin
December 4, 2020
in Politics

High-value business travellers will be exempt from England’s two-week quarantine for international arrivals from Saturday – sparking accusations that the government was creating “one rule for the rich” and another for everyone else.

Sporting stars and performing arts professionals – as well as journalists – will also be covered by the new loophole, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps announced.

Exemptions will be “subject to specific criteria being met”, he said. Individuals will only be exempt when undertaking specific business activity and will only be permitted to meet with others as required by that, the Department for Transport added in a statement.

New Business Traveller exemption: From 4am on Sat 5th Dec high-value business travellers💼will no longer need to self-isolate when returning to ENGLAND from a country NOT in a travel corridor, allowing more travel to support the economy and jobs. Conditions apply.

— Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP (@grantshapps) December 3, 2020

The DfT said sectors such as media and elite sport were also selected for exemption from quarantine as they “require specific, high-talent individuals who rely on international connections”.

It added: “PHE (Public Health England) do not anticipate these changes will raise the risk of domestic transmission, due to the protocols being put in place around these exemptions, however all exemptions will remain under review.”

But the government’s prioritising of “high-value business travellers” has drawn fury from a number of critics, including several Labour MPs who said it was tantamount to having “one rule for the rich and another rule for everyone else”.

Here’s some of the most significant reaction.

RelatedPosts

Brexit: DUP anger questioned as it ‘did not make a fuss’ when Protocol agreed in 2019

Tory health minister ‘pleasantly surprised’ by ‘pitiful’ 1% NHS pay rise

Test and Trace bill to pass £37 billion after quiet Budget cash injection

‘Back into Europe’ as Scottish voters could face an independence referendum this year

The Government has announced that "high value" business travellers will be exempt from having to quarantine when arriving in the UK.

The Tories create one rule for the rich and another rule for everyone else.

— Zarah Sultana MP (@zarahsultana) December 4, 2020

"High value" business travellers are going to be exempted from quarantine.

Absolutely unbelievable.

It really is one rule for the rich and another for everyone else with this government.

— Richard Burgon MP (@RichardBurgon) December 3, 2020

Regardless of the merits of exempting (some) business travellers from Covid quarantine, it takes a truly special brand of stupid to refer to them as “high-value” people.

— alexmassie (@alexmassie) December 3, 2020

How does one become a “high value” business traveller? Does it involve marrying a Conservative MP or donating to the party or running a pub near a Cabinet minister’s home? https://t.co/NBfx09Jszo

— Gavin Esler (@gavinesler) December 3, 2020

I think I find the emoji even more offensive than the notion of ‘high-value’ travellers. https://t.co/DyePRGvZdF

— James O'Brien (@mrjamesob) December 3, 2020

Related: ‘She doesn’t know how we feel’ – Windrush victims slam Patel deportation comments

Since you are here

Since you are here, we wanted to ask for your help.

Journalism in Britain is under threat. The government is becoming increasingly authoritarian and our media is run by a handful of billionaires, most of whom reside overseas and all of them have strong political allegiances and financial motivations.

Our mission is to hold the powerful to account. It is vital that free media is allowed to exist to expose hypocrisy, corruption, wrongdoing and abuse of power. But we can't do it without you.

If you can afford to contribute a small donation to the site it will help us to continue our work in the best interests of the public. We only ask you to donate what you can afford, with an option to cancel your subscription at any point.

To donate or subscribe to The London Economic, click here.

The TLE shop is also now open, with all profits going to supporting our work.

The shop can be found here.

You can also SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER .

Support fearless, free, investigative journalism Support fearless, free, investigative journalism Support fearless, free, investigative journalism

Subscribe to our Newsletter

View our  Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions

Trending fromTLE

  • All
  • trending

What If We Got Rid Of Prisons?

Stress, fear and homelessness: The threat looming over families confronted with eviction

File photo dated 07/11/03 of a prison cell.

The Other Prison Pandemic

Latest from TLE

Government ‘acted unlawfully’ by failing to publish over 500 Covid contracts in time – High Court

UK is ‘over’ – Welsh first minister’s damning comments on future of Union

Brexit: DUP anger questioned as it ‘did not make a fuss’ when Protocol agreed in 2019

Oblix orzo recipe with wild mushroom and truffle

How To Make: Oblix’s Orzo, Wild Mushroom & Truffle

About Us

TheLondonEconomic.com – Open, accessible and accountable news, sport, culture and lifestyle.

Read more

Address

The London Economic Newspaper Limited t/a TLE
Company number 09221879
International House,
24 Holborn Viaduct,
London EC1A 2BN,
United Kingdom

Contact

Editorial enquiries, please contact: jack@thelondoneconomic.com

Commercial enquiries, please contact: advertise@thelondoneconomic.com

SUPPORT

We do not charge or put articles behind a paywall. If you can, please show your appreciation for our free content by donating whatever you think is fair to help keep TLE growing and support real, independent, investigative journalism.

DONATE & SUPPORT

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.




No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Opinion
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Film
  • Lifestyle
  • Food
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech & Auto
  • About The London Economic
  • Meet the Team
  • Privacy policy

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.