A HOST of countries have closed their borders to Britain over fears of a highly infectious new coronavirus strain in moves which have sparked travel chaos and raised the prospect of UK food shortages days before the Brexit cliff edge. Reports yesterday afternoon said that the whole of the EU was now not allowing travel from the UK, however these were not confirmed as we went to press. As the crisis began to escalate on Sunday, France blocked all freight lorries from crossing the Channel, causing major disruption at ports in Kent and closing off one of the most important trade arteries with mainland Europe.
Talks on a post-Brexit trade deal look set to continue into next week after another weekend of tense negotiations failed to achieve a breakthrough. After lead negotiators Michel Barnier and Lord Frost met in Brussels on Sunday, a UK Government source said the discussions had been “difficult”. The source said “significant differences” remained over the key issues of fisheries and the so-called “level playing field rules” on state aid for business. “Teams have been negotiating throughout the day and expect to continue tomorrow. Talks remain difficult and significant differences remain,” the source said. “We continue to explore every route to a deal that is in line with the fundamental principles we brought into the negotiations.
The US could ban travellers from Britain as flights continue to cross the Atlantic Ocean despite major fears over the new coronavirus strain spreading across the UK.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo last night called for flights from Britain to stop, saying that six are still arriving every day at John F. Kennedy Airport in the city.
Countries including France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, Poland, Austria, Denmark, Finland, Ireland and Bulgaria have already announced restrictions on UK travel following the outbreak of the new strain across South East England.
Other countries halting flights arriving from Britain include Canada, Kuwait, Turkey, Morocco, Czech Republic, Slovakia, El Salvador, Romania, Iran, India and Israel.
Ennis stresses that, from a business perspective, erecting barriers to trade is never a good idea.
“Brexit is likely to result in friction between us and our biggest trading partner, mainland Europe. Luckily, as a nation we’re pretty good at triumphing over adversity and our business people are entrepreneurial.”
“While we would rather the added level of complexity of Brexit wasn’t there, it’s not stopping us from doing business.”
Carl Ennis
However, the UK’s breakaway will make life difficult for Siemens’ suppliers and partners with vertically integrated supply chains in continental Europe and those who are trying to sell their products there.
WITH further measures being announced to tackle the coronavirus pandemic and to protect lives, the SNP’s Westminster leader has demanded that the UK Government urgently strengthens virtual proceedings in Westminster. As restrictions are announced in Scotland and other parts of the UK – including travel between to and from different parts of the UK – leader of the SNP in the House of Commons, MP Ian Blackford, warned that MPs were being put in an “impossible position” of following public health guidance and standing up for constituents at this critical time. It comes as Brexit talks continue and there is still no clarity over any attempts to recall Parliament over a low deal or No Deal outcome – with the end of the transition period just more than one week away.