Dover is closed to outbound traffic

LauraNorder

It is not xenophobic to place blame where it’s due.

Blame?

And if the French had a new mutant virus you would be welcoming people back fro. France with no checks?

The Spanish flu is still called that even though it didn’t originate there. So the British strain no doubt has mutated elsewhere but ha s been identified as rampant in the U.k. first, so that label will stick.

Well, I do hope they are offering the British drivers hot meals
Nez and sparkling loo facilities .....

merlotgran

^Sovereignty and putting your citizens first- no?^

By closing the border so they can't get home?

no, to stop the spread of a mutant virus by a few lorry drivers to a whole population. Irrespective of nationality, and Sovereignty - that is the responsible thing to do and medically the only thing to do.

And tbh closing borders until you find out whether that horse has bolted is sensible.

Sequencing is super fast these days - they’ll soon have a better idea of the spread - until then, safety first.

even Boris thought about that, hence the different status for different regions.

biba70

even Boris thought about that, hence the different status for different regions.

Exactly

lemongrove

Well, I do hope they are offering the British drivers hot meals
Nez and sparkling loo facilities .....

Gawd! there isn’t a queue in Calais.

If we had reason to close our borders we would repatriate our nationals ASAP and meanwhile ensure they were fed. We have been shown to do this many times, eg planes provided for stranded holidaymakers throughout the world when covid kicked off.
This variant and others are already in mainland Europe. The lorries could be allowed to cross the channels and undergo testing and quarantine in their home country. This would be less chaotic all round.

Let's imagine Merlot, that there is a mutant virus in France, that is spreading very fast- and we had some drivers who have spent some days there- would you recommend that they were allowed back in the UK where the said mutant virus is non existent- so those drivers could be home for Christmas, just in time to infect their families before they go back to school and work?

Or do you think it might make more sense to get testing organised, and proper quarantining, away from families for those testing positive?

Nezumi65

lemongrove

Since it’s the French Government who have caused this debacle....let them sort it out.

I think they’re dealing with the ones queueing in Calais - they already had large queues because of Brexit stockpiling

Nez says there are whitewave ?

LauraNorder

If we had reason to close our borders we would repatriate our nationals ASAP and meanwhile ensure they were fed. We have been shown to do this many times, eg planes provided for stranded holidaymakers throughout the world when covid kicked off.
This variant and others are already in mainland Europe. The lorries could be allowed to cross the channels and undergo testing and quarantine in their home country. This would be less chaotic all round.

I’m sure the EU could fly their citizens home but I’m not sure what would happen to the lorries

LauraNorder

If we had reason to close our borders we would repatriate our nationals ASAP and meanwhile ensure they were fed. We have been shown to do this many times, eg planes provided for stranded holidaymakers throughout the world when covid kicked off.
This variant and others are already in mainland Europe. The lorries could be allowed to cross the channels and undergo testing and quarantine in their home country. This would be less chaotic all round.

Macron wouldn’t like that.. he’s doing a spot of French willy waving.

They had long queues a few days ago because of Brexit stockpiling - my point was that queues on the French side are the responsibility of France and to suggest queues here are up to France to sort out is ridiculous.

As always Lemon

Or maybe macron is responding the same way as 40 odd other countries.

We really haven’t moved on from Up Yours Delores have we?

I suppose those who say it’s not our problem are happy for drivers to spend days with little or no facilities. It’s not their fault fgs.Whatever country they come from and whatever port they are queueing at is immaterial, surely we could have some compassion. As for the British government helping stranded Brits they are doing sod all at the moment.

Nezumi I am not suggesting the drivers are flown home. If you persist in literal translation I’m not surprised you constantly miss the point

What was your point then? Macron has closed for Covid related reasons.

According to Irish truckers it’s just chaos a week earlier than expected www.irishtimes.com/news/health/nothing-is-working-as-it-should-new-covid-strain-stalls-irish-truckers-in-britain-1.4443261

Not happy to leave drivers without facilities but instead of blaming our government why not look to the cause and insist that their government looks after them

LauraNorder

Not happy to leave drivers without facilities but instead of blaming our government why not look to the cause and insist that their government looks after them

How would you see that working? Considering the drivers are in GB?

And we’re back to Brexit, so predictable

In the same way as the Polish government have managed

Well queuing lorries abs Brexit kind of go together.

But anyway, how would you see the French sorting out the problems of 3000+ lorries queuing in Kent?

Are really suggesting that French, Polish, Dutch, Latvian governments have to ship over toilets, food, washing facilities etc to Dover. I’ve heard of some daft ideas...