Covid travel rules will include a ‘Stanley Johnson loophole’ for second homes, it has emerged.
Overseas travel so that second home owners can prepare their properties for rent or sale will be permitted under coronavirus rules to be voted on by MPs.
Under the changes, people leaving England for a foreign holiday could face a £5,000 fine.
But an exemption dubbed the ‘Stanley Johnson clause’ will allow trips for the “purchase, sale, letting or rental of a residential property”.
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The PM’s father was criticised last July after it emerged he had travelled to Greece to visit his villa despite advice urging Brits against all but essential travel.
He argued that he was on “essential business trying to Covid-proof my property in view of the upcoming letting season”.
Labour ’s Andrew Gwynne said: “It seems it’s one rule for them and another for the rest of us”.
The new regulations for the coming months, covering the PM’s “road map” out of lockdown for England, include a ban on leaving the country without a valid reason, punishable with a £5,000 fine.
The law is in place until June - although the roadmap suggests foreign travel could be permitted again by May 17.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock ruled out a suggestion from one of his ministers that all countries in Europe could be place on the banned “red list”.
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