Spain’s PM criticises UK’s decision to impose blanket quarantine as ‘error’

Pedro Sanchez says he is urging the British government to 'reconsider'

Spain’s prime minister has criticised the UK government’s sudden decision to impose a blanket quarantine to all regions of the country following a spike in coronavirus infections as an “error”.

Despite intense lobbying from Madrid, the Foreign Office last night toughened its travel advice for the European country, extending its all but essential travel warning to the popular Balearic and Canary Islands.

The move brought the FCO advice into line with existing advice for mainland Spain and with No 10s unexpected decision to impose a 14-day mandatory quarantine requirement on people arriving from the whole of the country on Saturday evening.

Speaking to the Spanish television network, Telecinco, Pedro Sanchez pointed out that the upsurge in coronavirus cases is focused in two regions, Catalonia and Aragon, adding: "In most of Spain, the incidence is very much inferior to even the numbers registered in the United Kingdom."

“The error, in my judgement, and hence the lack of alignment of the United Kingdom’s response, is based on considering the cumulative incidence of (the virus in) the entire country,” he said.

“We are talking with British authorities to try to get them to reconsider a measure that, in our opinion, is not well adjusted if we consider epidemiological criteria of Spain, particularly in some tourist destinations in our country.”

Pressed about the leader’s remarks, local government minister Simon Clarke told the BBC: “We respectfully disagree with Spanish government’s position on this.

“We obviously continue to work closely with them and we wish them every success in managing this outbreak, but we’ve seen a very sharp increase in cases in Spain. A 75 per cent increase in cases reported between the middle of last week and the end of last week. That’s why we took the action that we have.”

The minister also did not rule out the UK reducing its mandatory quarantine policy from 14 to 10 days. According to The Daily Telegraph, the government will announce this week a new policy of testing arrivals from high-risk areas after eight days of self-isolation. People will be allowed to leave quarantine two days later if they test positive, the newspaper added.

Pressed on the report, Mr Clarke told Sky News: “The situation remains that the government advice is that we must quarantine for 14 days – I wouldn’t want to blur that message. That is the current position.”

“As with all this guidance we continue to take advice on the science and on the best practice that is sensible. But we wouldn’t to get any mixed messages today at all to the public, it is a 14-day quarantine. It’s not what anyone wants, but it is absolutely what we need to do as a country to make sure we don’t see a surge in infections and obviously the second wave which we are determined to prevent.”

Labour's shadow transport secretary Jim McMahon, however, said the government’s handling of the issue had “been nothing short of chaotic” and urged for greater clarity for both passengers and the airline industry.

"The government must focus support on the sectors that desperately need it, like aviation, aerospace and its supply chain, which supports almost a quarter of a million jobs, with strict climate conditions and ensuring the gains are shared with the public,” he said.