Covid-19: International Travel Debate

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Department: Department for Transport

Covid-19: International Travel

Ben Spencer Excerpts
Monday 24th January 2022

(2 years, 9 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Ben Spencer Portrait Dr Ben Spencer (Runnymede and Weybridge) (Con)
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Throughout the pandemic, Labour has flip-flopped, calling for a pause on international travel, then opposing all and any restrictions. May I thank my right hon. Friend for ignoring its game playing—[Interruption]—and for his unalloyed support for international travel and a truly connected global Britain?

Grant Shapps Portrait Grant Shapps
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Opposition Members do not like the question because it is true. Everyone has witnessed it. Their Front-Bench team has flip-flopped on one side, then the other side; one way, then the other. As it turns out, it is important to follow the evidence, and when the evidence says that we should unlock and do away with these tests that is exactly what we have done. [Interruption.] One would think that the hon. Member for Wythenshawe and Sale East (Mike Kane), who is shouting from a sedentary position, would welcome the data-driven, spreadsheet-based approach to this issue.