Is Macron grandstanding?

Mamie - I agree.
I read the french papers too, and France also has a very serious situation with covid - they don't want to add to it.
The added stress of imminent split of UK from the EU, with the ports of France in the front line, (don't forget the immigrants) and at this time of year, create an unprecedented situation.
It shouldn't be who to blame? but what to do about it?

The U.K. closed it’s borders to danish freight after the new strain was found in mink.

Good point Fennel. How to manage it.

www.thelocal.fr/20201223/opinion-cheap-french-bashing-is-an-old-tune-from-british-press-and-politicians
John Lichfield agrees.

This is not a case of Macron punishing us for brexit, he is just prioritising the safety of France.

It is a case of the same vile right-wing newspapers which advocated "taking back control" demonstrating how hopelessly out of control their "Vote Leave" government is and how our international trade would suffer from brexit - an own goal!

What about the French Warship that entered our waters yesterday, off the coast of Dover.

Monsewer Macron is a first class prat

Oh IMO

We’ve got a world beating prat.

Oh we’ve closed the border to South Africa- must be grandstanding cant be anything to do with public health.

It's nothing to do with public health. 48 hour ban crossing the channel is hardly going to make any difference. If it was to do with public health, surely a 14 day ban would be better?

It is not just the UK that have the new Variant, france do too?

Why insist on a Covid test if it’s nothing to do with public health?

Lots of countries have banned U.K. travel, I’m guessing the variant will be mutating there as well. This just shows how interdependent countries are, We aren’t just a little fortress.

Those wagons could have turned round and gone to Hull to get the ferry to Rotterdam/ Zeebrugge, it would have been quicker than being stranded even if their final journey was out of the way, they'd have been home by now

Dublin have banned foot passengers on the ferries from Liverpool so passengers are turning around heading for Birkenhead for the ferry to Belfast. There's always a way home.

EllenVannin do you seriously think the Hull ferry has the capacity to take the number of lorries trying to cross from Dover port or the tunnel? There is a bit of a difference in crossing time you know.

Interestingly, it looks as if the new mutation has come from South Africa and/or the US, it’s just that the genome research in Britain is very advanced that we identified it and made it public. That’s why flights from South Africa are now banned.

The infection rates and death toll in the US are horrendous at the moment, I’m deeply worried for my family out there in New Hampshire, Colorado and Arizona. I think it said on the news that they have had over 3,200 deaths in 24 hours, the second highest since the pandemic began.

We really need to get a grip on it here, I don’t have any suggestions though but it’s very scary.

I thought they said the SA variant is different again from the Kent one.

They did Nfk

They would need new documentation to use a different port of exit and entry, and a different journey. It’s not a case of just turning round and going to a different departure point.

trueblue22

yorklady I agree. There was a strong mutant strain in Spain and South Africa before being discovered here. I would have thought infections from Spain would have caused the greater spread of infection in France.

We are also at risk if being contaminated from those entering the UK. I really do think this behaviour from.Macron is a political stunt that will backfire...and as for his last minute opposition to the future fisheries policy

I agree, it’s completely a political stunt, and one that French lorry drivers won’t forget when they miss Christmas Day with their families.They won’t be voting for Macron at the next election.

Ellenvannin, the Dutch and Belgian borders are also closed to UK traffic, as I have pointed out quite a few times on this post. Why should we get the mutated virus from the UK?

I think haters just like to bash “the French” and ignore all the other countries that have imposed a travel ban.

vegansrock

I think haters just like to bash “the French” and ignore all the other countries that have imposed a travel ban.

And that we imposed a ban on Danish freight after the mink variant. Doesn’t fit the narrative.

If you read the link to the John Lichfield article above, you will see that bashing the French is an age-old tabloid speciality. The pathetic thing is that people still fall for it.

Mamie

If you read the link to the John Lichfield article above, you will see that bashing the French is an age-old tabloid speciality. The pathetic thing is that people still fall for it.

Thanks Mamie - I will do. DH and I were discussing yesterday where the constant French bashing comes from and when it started.