Greece wildfires: ’Irresponsible’ for holidaymakers to travel to Rhodes .../ UK government refuses to advise against travel to Greece

https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2023/jul/24/greece-fires-wildfires-rhodes-corfu-evia-latest-updates

 

From 1h ago

05.46 EDT

UK government refuses to advise against travel to Greece

While wildfires rage on the Greek islands Rhodes and Corfu, with thousands of British tourists thought to currently be there, the UK government continues to refuse to advise against travel to the country.

 

The Foreign Office minister Andrew Mitchell told broadcasters this morning that “only 10%” of Rhodes is affected by the fires, meaning “it is the tourist companies and the holiday experts who are best placed to give guidance on whether or not a family or individuals’ holidays are going to be ruined by these events”.

 

We’ll be following the news from Greece as it comes in throughout the day.

 

32m ago

06.18 EDT

Three repatriation flights to return hundreds of holidaymakers from Rhodes are planned on Monday evening, Jet2 says.

 

The holiday firm said a flight carrying 95 people landed at Leeds Bradford airport late on Sunday evening. In addition to more than 50 scheduled flights, one flight will depart for Manchester, another for Leeds Bradford and a third for Birmingham later on Monday. A spokesperson has said:

 

We understand how difficult this experience has been for many, and our entire focus is on looking after our customers. We have a significantly expanded presence in Rhodes, with a huge team of experienced colleagues providing all the support we can for our customers, whether that is in affected areas or at Rhodes airport.

 

We have also put on three repatriation flights to bring our customers home, which is on top of our scheduled programme of flights that will continue to operate from Rhodes to the UK this week. We are continuing to make decisions in the best interests of our customers, and we are keeping everything under constant review.

 

38m ago

06.12 EDT

Mitchell’s comments about the importance of the climate crisis to the government come as the prime minister Rishi Sunak makes a somewhat more equivocal assessment. He has stressed that he wants to tackle the issue in what he calls a “proportionate and pragmatic” way that does not unnecessarily impact people’s lives.

 

Asked whether he stands by the ban on selling new petrol and diesel cars from 2030 by broadcasters on a visit to a housing development in Worcestershire, the Sunak insisted:

 

Of course net-zero is important to me. So yes we’re going to keep making progress towards our net-zero ambitions and we’re also going to strengthen our energy security.

 

I think the events over the last year or two have demonstrated the importance of investing more in homegrown energy, whether that’s more nuclear or offshore wind. I think that’s what people want to see and that’s what I’m going to deliver.

 

Asked whether he will stand up to the MPs within his party who are urging against net-zero policies, Sunak said:

 

Actually, I’m standing up for the British people because I’m also cognisant that we’re living through a time at the moment where inflation is high. That’s having an impact on household and families’ bills. I don’t want to add that, I want to make it easier.

 

So yes we’re going to make progress towards net-zero but we’re going to do that in a proportionate and pragmatic a way that doesn’t unnecessarily give people more hassle and more costs in their lives – that’s not what I’m interested in and prepared to do.