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Transport Secretary Grant Shapps is returning home early from his family holiday in Spain after the Government scrapped the country’s so-called air bridge.
The minister is believed to have flown out to Spain on Saturday – just hours before the Government announced without warning that those returning from the country would have to quarantine for two weeks.
Mr Shapps told The Sun that he was cutting his holiday short and leaving his family in Spain to come home.
He said he intended to arrive back in the UK on Wednesday, but will have to self-isolate for 14 days and work from home.
Mr Shapps told the publication that he planned to return to work amid the fallout from the sudden policy to impose quarantine restrictions.
Travellers returning from holidays in Spain have complained their plans had been “ruined” by the Government’s “knee-jerk” quarantine rules.
It comes as British holidaymakers rush to cancel trips abroad amid fears the reimposed quarantine on Spain could be applied to other countries.
Travel companies have since reported a spike in cancellations to tourist hotspots including France, Greece, Italy and Germany amid fears the measures will be enforced on countries suffering a resurgence of coronavirus outbreaks.
Coronavirus hits the UK – In pictures
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Electronic bilboards displays a message warning people to stay home in Sheffield
PA
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An image of The Queen eith quotes from her broadcast to the UK and the Commonwealth in relation to the Coronavirus epidemic are displayed on lights in London’s Piccadilly Circus
PA
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Boris Johnson addresses the nation on the Coronavirus lockdown
Andrew Parsons
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Military vehicles cross Westminster Bridge after members of the 101 Logistic Brigade delivered a consignment of medical masks to St Thomas’ hospital
Getty Images
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Durdle Door in Dorset
Reuters
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Captain Tom Moore
via Reuters
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Mia, aged 8, and Jack, aged 5, take part in “PE with Joe” a daily live workout with Joe Wicks on Youtube to help kids stay fit who have to stay indoors due to the Coronavirus outbreak
PA
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An NHS worker reacts at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital during the Clap for our Carers campaign in support of the NHS
Reuters
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Goats which have taken over the deserted streets of Llandudno
@AndrewStuart via PA
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Tobias Weller
PA
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Novikov restaurant in London with its shutters pulled down while the restaurant is closed
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London Landscapes: Hyde Park and the Serpentine, central London.
Matt Writtle
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A newspaper vendor in Manchester city centre giving away free toilet rolls with every paper bought as shops run low on supplies due to fears over the spread of the coronavirus
PA
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Theo Clay looks out of his window next to his hand-drawn picture of a rainbow in Liverpool, as the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continue
Reuters
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A young man cuts another man’s hair on top of a closed hairdresser in Oxford
Reuters
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General view of the new NHS Nightingale Hospital, built to fight against the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in London
via Reuters
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Jason Baird is seen dressed as Spiderman during his daily exercise to cheer up local children in Stockport, as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues
Reuters
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A woman wearing a face mask walks past Buckingham Palace
Getty Images
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A man holds mobile phone displaying a text message alert sent by the government warning that new rules are in force across the UK and people must stay at home
PA
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Medical staff on the Covid-19 ward at the Neath Port Talbot Hospital, in Wales, as the health services continue their response to the coronavirus outbreak.
PA
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Prime Minister Boris Johnson taking part in a virtual Cabinet meeting with his top team of ministers
PA
22/50
A shopper walks past empty shelves in a Lidl store on in Wallington. After spates of “panic buying” cleared supermarket shelves of items like toilet paper and cleaning products, stores across the UK have introduced limits on purchases during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some have also created special time slots for the elderly and other shoppers vulnerable to the new coronavirus.
Getty Images
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People on a busy tube train in London at rush hour
PA
24/50
Mia, aged 8 and her brother Jack, aged 5 from Essex, continue their school work at home, after being sent home due to the coronavirus
PA
25/50
Children are painting ‘Chase the rainbows’ artwork and springing up in windows across the country
Reuters
26/50
Social distancing in Primrose Hill
Jeremy Selwyn
27/50
Westminster Bridge is deserted
PA
28/50
A general view of a locked gate at Anfield, Liverpool as The Premier League has been suspended
PA
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An empty escalator at Charing Coss London Underground tube station
Jeremy Selwyn
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Homeless people in London
AFP via Getty Images
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A piece of art by the artist, known as the Rebel Bear has appeared on a wall on Bank Street in Glasgow. The new addition to Glasgow’s street art is capturing the global Coronavirus crisis. The piece features a woman and a man pulling back to give each other a kiss
PA
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The Queen leaves Buckingham Palace, London, for Windsor Castle to socially distance herself amid the coronavirus pandemic
PA
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A general view on Grey street, Newcastle as coronavirus cases grow around the world
Reuters
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Matt Raw, a British national who returned from the coronavirus-hit city of Wuhan in China, leaves quaratine at Arrowe Park Hospital on Merseyside
PA
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Britain’s Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty (L) and Chief Scientific Adviser Patrick Vallance look on as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson gestures as he speaks during a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) news conference inside 10 Downing Street
Reuters
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The ticket-validation terminals at the tram stop on Edinburgh’s Princes Street are cleaned following the coronavirus outbreak.
PA
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Locked school gates at Rockcliffe First School in Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear
PA
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A sign at a Sainsbury’s supermarket informs customers that limits have been set on a small number of products as the number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases grow around the world
Reuters
39/50
Jawad Javed delivers coronavirus protection kits that he and his wife have put together to the vulnerable people of their community of Stenhousemuir, between Glasgow and Edinburgh
AFP via Getty Images
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A sign advertising a book titled “How Will We Survive On Earth?”
Getty Images
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A man who appears to be homeless sleeping wearing a mask today in Victoria
Jeremy Selwyn
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A pedestrian walks past graffiti that reads “Diseases are in the City” in Edinburgh
AFP via Getty Images
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Staff from The Lyric Theatre, London inform patrons, as it shuts its doors
PA
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A quiet looking George IV Bridge in Edinburgh
PA
45/50
A quieter than usual British Museum
Getty Images
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A racegoer attends Cheltenham in a fashionable face mask
SplashNews.com
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A commuter wears a face mask at London Bridge Station
Jeremy Selwyn
48/50
A empty restaurant in the Bull Ring Shopping Centre
Getty Images
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A deserted Trafalgar Square in London
PA
50/50
Passengers determined to avoid the coronavirus before leaving the UK arrive at Gatwick Airport
Getty Images
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Electronic bilboards displays a message warning people to stay home in Sheffield
PA
2/50
An image of The Queen eith quotes from her broadcast to the UK and the Commonwealth in relation to the Coronavirus epidemic are displayed on lights in London’s Piccadilly Circus
PA
3/50
Boris Johnson addresses the nation on the Coronavirus lockdown
Andrew Parsons
4/50
Military vehicles cross Westminster Bridge after members of the 101 Logistic Brigade delivered a consignment of medical masks to St Thomas’ hospital
Getty Images
5/50
Durdle Door in Dorset
Reuters
6/50
Captain Tom Moore
via Reuters
7/50
Mia, aged 8, and Jack, aged 5, take part in “PE with Joe” a daily live workout with Joe Wicks on Youtube to help kids stay fit who have to stay indoors due to the Coronavirus outbreak
PA
8/50
An NHS worker reacts at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital during the Clap for our Carers campaign in support of the NHS
Reuters
9/50
Goats which have taken over the deserted streets of Llandudno
@AndrewStuart via PA
10/50
Tobias Weller
PA
11/50
Novikov restaurant in London with its shutters pulled down while the restaurant is closed
12/50
London Landscapes: Hyde Park and the Serpentine, central London.
Matt Writtle
13/50
A newspaper vendor in Manchester city centre giving away free toilet rolls with every paper bought as shops run low on supplies due to fears over the spread of the coronavirus
PA
14/50
Theo Clay looks out of his window next to his hand-drawn picture of a rainbow in Liverpool, as the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continue
Reuters
15/50
A young man cuts another man’s hair on top of a closed hairdresser in Oxford
Reuters
16/50
General view of the new NHS Nightingale Hospital, built to fight against the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in London
via Reuters
17/50
Jason Baird is seen dressed as Spiderman during his daily exercise to cheer up local children in Stockport, as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues
Reuters
18/50
A woman wearing a face mask walks past Buckingham Palace
Getty Images
19/50
A man holds mobile phone displaying a text message alert sent by the government warning that new rules are in force across the UK and people must stay at home
PA
20/50
Medical staff on the Covid-19 ward at the Neath Port Talbot Hospital, in Wales, as the health services continue their response to the coronavirus outbreak.
PA
21/50
Prime Minister Boris Johnson taking part in a virtual Cabinet meeting with his top team of ministers
PA
22/50
A shopper walks past empty shelves in a Lidl store on in Wallington. After spates of “panic buying” cleared supermarket shelves of items like toilet paper and cleaning products, stores across the UK have introduced limits on purchases during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some have also created special time slots for the elderly and other shoppers vulnerable to the new coronavirus.
Getty Images
23/50
People on a busy tube train in London at rush hour
PA
24/50
Mia, aged 8 and her brother Jack, aged 5 from Essex, continue their school work at home, after being sent home due to the coronavirus
PA
25/50
Children are painting ‘Chase the rainbows’ artwork and springing up in windows across the country
Reuters
26/50
Social distancing in Primrose Hill
Jeremy Selwyn
27/50
Westminster Bridge is deserted
PA
28/50
A general view of a locked gate at Anfield, Liverpool as The Premier League has been suspended
PA
29/50
An empty escalator at Charing Coss London Underground tube station
Jeremy Selwyn
30/50
Homeless people in London
AFP via Getty Images
31/50
A piece of art by the artist, known as the Rebel Bear has appeared on a wall on Bank Street in Glasgow. The new addition to Glasgow’s street art is capturing the global Coronavirus crisis. The piece features a woman and a man pulling back to give each other a kiss
PA
32/50
The Queen leaves Buckingham Palace, London, for Windsor Castle to socially distance herself amid the coronavirus pandemic
PA
33/50
A general view on Grey street, Newcastle as coronavirus cases grow around the world
Reuters
34/50
Matt Raw, a British national who returned from the coronavirus-hit city of Wuhan in China, leaves quaratine at Arrowe Park Hospital on Merseyside
PA
35/50
Britain’s Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty (L) and Chief Scientific Adviser Patrick Vallance look on as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson gestures as he speaks during a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) news conference inside 10 Downing Street
Reuters
36/50
The ticket-validation terminals at the tram stop on Edinburgh’s Princes Street are cleaned following the coronavirus outbreak.
PA
37/50
Locked school gates at Rockcliffe First School in Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear
PA
38/50
A sign at a Sainsbury’s supermarket informs customers that limits have been set on a small number of products as the number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases grow around the world
Reuters
39/50
Jawad Javed delivers coronavirus protection kits that he and his wife have put together to the vulnerable people of their community of Stenhousemuir, between Glasgow and Edinburgh
AFP via Getty Images
40/50
A sign advertising a book titled “How Will We Survive On Earth?”
Getty Images
41/50
A man who appears to be homeless sleeping wearing a mask today in Victoria
Jeremy Selwyn
42/50
A pedestrian walks past graffiti that reads “Diseases are in the City” in Edinburgh
AFP via Getty Images
43/50
Staff from The Lyric Theatre, London inform patrons, as it shuts its doors
PA
44/50
A quiet looking George IV Bridge in Edinburgh
PA
45/50
A quieter than usual British Museum
Getty Images
46/50
A racegoer attends Cheltenham in a fashionable face mask
SplashNews.com
47/50
A commuter wears a face mask at London Bridge Station
Jeremy Selwyn
48/50
A empty restaurant in the Bull Ring Shopping Centre
Getty Images
49/50
A deserted Trafalgar Square in London
PA
50/50
Passengers determined to avoid the coronavirus before leaving the UK arrive at Gatwick Airport
Getty Images
In a statement to The Sun, Mr Shapps said: “Thousands of people have seen their holidays disrupted or cancelled due to the necessary emergency imposition of quarantine restrictions on Spain.
“I’ve been in constant contact with officials and industry representatives since I arrived in Spain on Saturday afternoon, when I reviewed the data and worked with colleagues to make a difficult decision to introduce quarantine.
“However, I think it’s right to get back to work in the UK as soon as possible in order to help handle the situation.
“The sooner I get back from Spain myself, the sooner I can get through quarantine. So I’m leaving my family to travel back to the UK on Wednesday.”
On Monday afternoon, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) updated its travel advice for visits to Spain.
It stated: “The FCO advise against all non-essential travel to Spain, including the Balearic and Canary Islands, based on the current assessment of Covid-19 risks in the country.”
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.”
The Standard have contacted Mr Shapps and the Department for Transport for comment.
