This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-52023501
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Coronavirus: British nationals stranded abroad in 'dire' situation | Coronavirus: British nationals stranded abroad in 'dire' situation |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| British nationals unable to return home due to the coronavirus pandemic are in a "dire" situation, a former cabinet minister has warned. | British nationals unable to return home due to the coronavirus pandemic are in a "dire" situation, a former cabinet minister has warned. |
| Tory MP Caroline Nokes said many were stranded as countries closed their borders and airlines cancelled flights. | Tory MP Caroline Nokes said many were stranded as countries closed their borders and airlines cancelled flights. |
| The government's call for people to return home as quickly as possible were like "empty words" to them, she added. | |
| Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said his staff were working with other nations and airlines to "overcome barriers". | Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said his staff were working with other nations and airlines to "overcome barriers". |
| Responding to an urgent question in Parliament, Mr Raab said the situation was being exacerbated by countries closing their borders "with no or little notice". | Responding to an urgent question in Parliament, Mr Raab said the situation was being exacerbated by countries closing their borders "with no or little notice". |
| With the pandemic worsening across much of the world, the Foreign Office changed its travel advice on Sunday urging British nationals to return home as soon as possible. | With the pandemic worsening across much of the world, the Foreign Office changed its travel advice on Sunday urging British nationals to return home as soon as possible. |
| Mr Raab said officials were working "night and day" with other governments and airlines to put urgent arrangements into place. | Mr Raab said officials were working "night and day" with other governments and airlines to put urgent arrangements into place. |
| But Ms Nokes, the MP for Romney and Southampton North, said many of her constituents were not able to get through to embassy staff on the phone and had received standard e-mail messages telling them to contact their tour operator or insurer. | But Ms Nokes, the MP for Romney and Southampton North, said many of her constituents were not able to get through to embassy staff on the phone and had received standard e-mail messages telling them to contact their tour operator or insurer. |
| Many found themselves hundred of miles from airports, with hotel accommodation becoming increasingly scarce. | Many found themselves hundred of miles from airports, with hotel accommodation becoming increasingly scarce. |
| 'No route home' | 'No route home' |
| Commercial flights from many destinations were simply not available, she said, unless they were "priced at tens of thousands of pounds and routed via airports expected to close imminently". | Commercial flights from many destinations were simply not available, she said, unless they were "priced at tens of thousands of pounds and routed via airports expected to close imminently". |
| "Hotels are closing, flights are cancelled, borders are closing and there are no routes home. | "Hotels are closing, flights are cancelled, borders are closing and there are no routes home. |
| "He (Mr Raab) knows the situation is dire - but he knew that last week when he said in the House that we will look and liaise with the airline operators to make sure where there are gaps we can always provide as much support as possible." | "He (Mr Raab) knows the situation is dire - but he knew that last week when he said in the House that we will look and liaise with the airline operators to make sure where there are gaps we can always provide as much support as possible." |
| "I ask him to explain how he is working with airlines with unused planes parked at airports around the globe to bring our people home... the vision of British citizens sleeping on the streets of Caracas is not a good one." | "I ask him to explain how he is working with airlines with unused planes parked at airports around the globe to bring our people home... the vision of British citizens sleeping on the streets of Caracas is not a good one." |
| Mr Raab said the rate of border closures and travel disruption was "unprecedented" in modern times and he had doubled the number of consular staff to deal with the "surge in demand". | Mr Raab said the rate of border closures and travel disruption was "unprecedented" in modern times and he had doubled the number of consular staff to deal with the "surge in demand". |
| Special flights | Special flights |
| He said the UK was addressing specific problems facing British nationals in Peru, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand, working with their governments and airlines to keep routes going, and to re-open those that had closed. | He said the UK was addressing specific problems facing British nationals in Peru, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand, working with their governments and airlines to keep routes going, and to re-open those that had closed. |
| Mr Raab told MPs that special flights will be laid on later this week to bring Britons back from Peru, while the UK had agreed with Singapore that it will act as a transit hub to help those trying to get back from Australia and New Zealand. | Mr Raab told MPs that special flights will be laid on later this week to bring Britons back from Peru, while the UK had agreed with Singapore that it will act as a transit hub to help those trying to get back from Australia and New Zealand. |
| "Our overriding priority now is to assist the thousands of British travellers who need and want to return home," he told MPs. | "Our overriding priority now is to assist the thousands of British travellers who need and want to return home," he told MPs. |
| "Where commercial options are not possible or limited by domestic restrictions we are in close contact with airlines and local authorities in those countries to overcome those barriers." | "Where commercial options are not possible or limited by domestic restrictions we are in close contact with airlines and local authorities in those countries to overcome those barriers." |