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Who would have thought it? Labour MPs have finally seen the merits of tough borders

The Opposition is no longer squeamish about border controls. In fact, they’re taking a harder line than the Tories

Jonathan Ashworth, the shadow health secretary
Jonathan Ashworth, the shadow health secretary Credit: Parliament/Jessica Taylor/PA Wire

Something strange is happening in politics. The two main parties seem to have swapped places. Traditionally, the Tories have been the ones who argue for tighter border controls – while Labour MPs shift uncomfortably in their seats, and look if they’d rather be talking about anything else.

Suddenly, however, it’s the other way round. It’s Labour MPs baying for tighter border controls – while a Tory Government appears surprisingly slow to act. This unexpected role reversal was in plain view today (Tuesday) in the Commons, during a ministerial statement on the pandemic.

Labour’s change of stance is simple enough to understand. Now that border control is about tackling a killer virus rather than cutting immigration, they’re much happier talking about it. No need to worry that someone might call them a racist at their next dinner party. Especially since dinner parties are banned anyway.

“These new variants bring into focus the importance of border controls,” declared Jonathan Ashworth, the shadow health secretary. He then demanded to know why people flying into Britain from Covid hotspots still weren’t being made to spend 10 days in quarantine at an airport hotel. Was it true, he asked incredulously, that this plan wouldn’t be in place until February 15?

Yvette Cooper – the former shadow home secretary – repeated the point with greater force. Even now, she snapped, people were freely travelling to the UK from South Africa (the source of a major new variant) without so much as a Covid test on arrival, and hopping straight on to public transport. 

Speaking for the Government was Matt Hancock. The Health Secretary’s replies on border control, however, were brief and vague. He insisted to both Mr Ashworth and Ms Cooper that the Government had brought in “significant measures at the border” – before moving on with an impressive turn of speed. 

Ms Cooper did not look at all satisfied. On the giant screens above the chamber, she could be seen shaking her head in frustrated silence. One disadvantage of asking a parliamentary question by video call: no one can hear you heckle.

In private, of course, it’s possible that Mr Hancock agrees with Ms Cooper and Mr Ashworth, and thinks the Prime Minister should make border controls much tighter. But even if true, he couldn’t possibly say so.

One other Labour MP was concerned about freedom of movement. Specifically: Boris Johnson’s. The Prime Minister should stay at home, barked Barry Sheerman (Lab, Huddersfield) – rather than “going round the country and stirring up discontent”.

A bemused Mr Hancock defended the Prime Minister’s recent excursions. “Of course he’s going to go round the country and thank people for what they’re doing,” he said. Then an idea struck him. Perhaps, suggested Mr Hancock pleasantly, the Prime Minister would visit Mr Sheerman’s constituency next.

Surely Mr Sheerman couldn’t refuse. Although he might insist that, on arrival, Mr Johnson quarantines for 10 days in the Huddersfield Premier Inn.

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