Is Macron grandstanding?

Think about if France had this new virus, what would the UK do to delay or stop it entering and infecting the public. Didn’t Wales try to do the same thing a week or so ago?

I think he's showing himself up more than "showing up every inadequate thing in the UK" as everything is being done to get those poor lorry drivers tested so they can go home.

Oh, and let's not forget the accommodation that will be provided for those to self isolate here if they test positive. Not bad for such an inadequate country is it.

Of course it does. My heart goes out to them.

I'm sure it matters to those who wont be home in time for Christmas WW2.

I expect too that Macron is also aware of our crap testing system.

He is showing up every inadequate thing in the U.K.

Because he can.

Macron throwing his toys out of the pram.What next?

But we didn’t stop people entering the U.K. did we?

And it’s because the goods are from the U.K. that Macron has done this.

If you mean did he act with the European Commission then say it.
Belgium also closed it's borders so did the Netherlands, they are Sovereign nations and can all close borders if they feel they have a reason.
Brussels is a City not an institution and why should we not protect ourselves, you were all quick of the mark to moan about people not being stopped from entering the UK. Now the boot is on the other foot you are still moaning.
Also remember each of those lorries is carrying freight out of the UK, if it does not reach it's destination it will be UK suppliers who will suffer. There are clauses in ever separate contract about this, as I said in a previous post my SIL is going to carry a heavy loss through this and be unable to furnish customers in the EU too.

It doesn’t matter whether Macron is grandstanding or not.

The point is being made at all levels.

He has closed the borders because France (apparently unlike the U.K. ) is sovereign

He has closed the border to try and get a handle on the new variant

He has closed the border because he is pissed of with Johnson who a few days ago threatened him with gun boats

He closed the border to show people what a no deal would begin to look like.

I’m sure lots of other reasons.

But he did it because he could.

I’m with you on this kitty. Macron is grandstanding.

It seems that Macron may have acted with Brussels to bring pressure, which has backfired when they realised that the only stuck drivers were from the EU and not the UK.

The testing is a farcical face saver for Macron as France already has the new strain of Covid, but so far they have not carried out as many tests as the UK. It may well even have come from France!

I wonder if all the stranded drivers agree with Macron and think he is right I am sure they are all enjoying their extended stay
I believe our country would have brought them back then tested them here at their home destination

I’m pretty sure M Macron is grandstanding. He saw an opportunity to put the knife in over Brexit and took it. Hopefully it will backfire on him.
A lot of those truckers are from all over Europe and trying to do their job and get home. I feel for them. It must be awful.

He’s not grandstanding, this country would have done exactly the same if a virulent mutation was announced by the French, or any other government. It was for 48 hours to give them time to decide what to do about it.

There doesn't seem to be any delays on the Irish ferry routes.

seamstress

Perhaps you can tell me who is grandstanding in 60 odd countries including Spain, Hong Kong and India which have banned travel from the UK?

Because this is freight and the drivers are mostly from the EU

The countries you have referred too in your post seamstress don't have lorry drivers stuck in the UK, a lot of who will probably not be able to get home in time for Christmas.

Because until this week Freight has been allowed through.

Perhaps you can tell me who is grandstanding in 60 odd countries including Spain, Hong Kong and India which have banned travel from the UK?

He most definitely is These are drivers from the EU waiting to go home Why not test them when they reach their destination
Totally ridiculous having them stuck maybe for days
Our police are now coming under fire from angry truck drivers

I would think that as it’s so close to Christmas that most of the drivers are from Europe anyway, so maybe Macron has shot himself in the foot?
Hopefully once the vehicles get moving the U.K. drivers will turn around and go home rather than risk getting stuck over in France or wherever.

tidyskatemum

I think Boris and co laid it on with a trowel about the new strain of COVID to try and scare everyone into cancelling Christmas. It didn’t seem to occur to our government brainboxes that this was an ideal excuse for Macron to stick the boot in, though he’s now experiencing his own negative reaction. Like others, I don’t understand why lorries continue to pile into Kent and expect a fairy godmother to magic them across the Channel.

I don't think Boris needed to exaggerate the new strain of Covid when the figures have trebled and sometimes quadrupled in some areas.

I think Boris and co laid it on with a trowel about the new strain of COVID to try and scare everyone into cancelling Christmas. It didn’t seem to occur to our government brainboxes that this was an ideal excuse for Macron to stick the boot in, though he’s now experiencing his own negative reaction. Like others, I don’t understand why lorries continue to pile into Kent and expect a fairy godmother to magic them across the Channel.

The borders here are also closed, there are large ferry ports with Zeebrugge and Ostend and the second largest container port in Europe in Antwerp.
Border controls have been in place for a few day between here and external land borders with Police checking if a journey is essential before allowing people to cross both ways.
Covid negative certificates are essential for anyone crossing the border.
SIL is a lorry driver and a partner in a refrigerated truck company.
One of his drivers is stuck trying to get to the UK with your Christmas cheeses, it looks like they will have to carry the loss as there are strict sell-by dates on soft cheeses and they will probably be out of date before he get to the suppliers.
The lorry has been emptied twice by customs officers from the UK which of course changes the temperature. Both times they took 8 hours to do the check!!!!!
It works both ways, he had only just started delivering again to the the UK this year but is cancelling all UK contracts.
The lorries always came back full of UK Cheese.
I could go on but just wanted to give another point of view.

quizqueen Wed 23-Dec-20 12:34:41

When the news about the queues started, why on earth did more lorries join them,.. ridiculous! Why didn't the ones at the back just turn around and drive back to the depot releasing ones further down the line?

The majority are trucks from mainland Europe returning home, admittedly with a return load on board. Other EU leaders have put pressure on the French which is why the logjam has started to move.

One thing that I do find reprehensible is that those drivers have had no access to fresh water or sanitation, or so the report that I read suggests.

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