Boris Johnson says his priority is 'public health' as Uefa chiefs face fury over 'deeply irresponsible' threat to strip the UK of Euro 2020 final unless 2,500 foreign VIPs are spared quarantine to attend the game at Wembley despite lockdown extension
By
David Wilcock, Whitehall Correspondent and
Jack Wright For Mailonline
Published: 10:06 AEST, 18 June 2021 | Updated: 02:21 AEST, 19 June 2021
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...Ps-allowed-WITHOUT-quarantining.html#comments
Boris Johnson insisted that public health was his top priority today amid fury at Uefa bigwigs for threatening to move the Euro 2020 final out of the UK unless its VIPs are allowed to skip Covid quarantine.
Ministers are in talks with the European footballing body after it warned the prestige game could be switched from Wembley to Budapest unless some 2,500 bigwigs are given preferential treatment before attending.
The demand prompted a ferocious backlash this morning, coming just days after England's Freedom Day was postponed for four weeks due to a surge in Indian variant cases.
Britons are also banned from taking foreign holidays in all but a handful of countries without quarantining, for fear of bringing more of the virus into the country.
Mr Johnson admitted today that the Government would speak to Uefa and 'see if we can make some sensible accommodations, but the priority obviously has to be public health'.
SNP MP Alyn Smith said the move was 'deeply, deeply irresponsible' and Tory Andrew Bridgen added: 'When lockdown has been extended in the UK it's a kick in the teeth to read that up to 2500 'VIPs' may be allowed into the UK for the [HASHTAG]#EURO2020[/HASHTAG] final without quarantine restrictions. Especially when double vaccinated Brits can't go on holiday!'
Labour's shadow culture secretary Jo Stevens said: 'Tens of thousands of fans have tickets for games at Wembley, which has been ear-marked to host these games for years.
'Businesses, supply chains and workers have all been preparing for them. To suddenly change at the last minute because a few UEFA bigwigs are worried about having to quarantine would be outrageous.
'UEFA should remember that it was the passion of fans in this country that saw off the threat of the European Super League - to repay the favour by removing games from Wembley would be a disgraceful betrayal. Football should be for the people - not the comfort of a few officials.'