A senior SNP MP has urged the UK Government to reconsider its advice on not travelling to all parts of Spain.
Alyn Smith singled out the Canaries as an area for a rethink and called on the Foreign Office to adopt a more “nuanced” approach.
Governments across the UK took Spain off the quarantine exemption after a spike in infection levels in the country.
The decision angered holidaymakers who were either in Spain or were looking forward to a week in the sun.
From Monday, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) advised against all “non-essential travel” to Spain, including the Balearic and Canary Islands.
The advice stated: “The FCO is not advising those already travelling in Spain to leave at this time. Travellers should follow the advice of the local authorities on how best to protect themselves and others, including any measures that they bring in to control the virus.
"If you are returning from Spain you will be required to self-isolate on your return to the UK, but the FCO is not advising you to cut short your visit.”
In a letter to Dominic Raab, the Foreign Secretary, Smith called for a rethink of the advice covering of all Spain.
“You will be aware that the Spanish authorities have lobbied for the islands to be exempt from this, and I believe they have a strong case given the low incidence of COVID-19 there.
“Given the high number of direct flights from Scotland to the Canary Islands, a lot of Scottish holidaymakers have been inconvenienced by the change in advice. I appreciate of course that this is a fast-moving issue but would be grateful for a second look and hope there is scope for a more nuanced assessment.”
Smith, the SNP’s shadow foreign affairs spokesperson, also told the Daily Record:
“Obviously, public health comes first but there is scope for interpretation here, this is like banning travel to Shetland because there is a spike in Leicester.
“Many Scots have holidays arranged and the risk in the Canary islands especially remains low.
“If the advice for Portugal can take a more nuanced approach, I see no reason why they can’t take a more proportionate view for the Spanish islands too.
“I hope the FCO will reconsider.”
An FCO Spokesperson said: “We have considered the overall situation for British nationals travelling to and from the Balearic and Canary Islands, including the impact of the requirement to self-isolate on return to the UK, and concluded that we should advise British nationals against all non-essential travel to the whole of Spain.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson said:
“Our priority is to safeguard public health. This quarantine decision was taken on a shared four nation basis and it was agreed that the decision should be taken for Spain as whole.
“While specified areas may be safer than others, we need to consider the risk of individuals travelling within Spain once they have arrived in the country, as well as the travel patterns of the general population, any controls that would be needed and the level of risk across Spain as a whole.
“We will continue to monitor the situation closely and take part in discussions between all four nations.”
