Grant Shapps resists blanket border controls to stem Covid in Britain

Minister tells MPs practicalities rule out island nation copying Australia, as Hancock stalls on hotel quarantines

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An Australia-style closure of borders would not help the UK combat the Covid-19 crisis, the transport secretary, Grant Shapps, indicated, as the government continued to come under pressure to implement tougher travel restrictions.

Amid concern over Covid-19 variants spreading from abroad, Shapps sought to make the case against blanket curbs by highlighting the importance of importing food and medicines, as well as allowing the flow of some people such as scientists.