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Prime ministers

Boris Johnson to Challenge Angela Merkel Over Travel Restrictions on Vaccinated Britons

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Boris Johnson and Angela Merkel are set to discuss Covid-related travel arrangements at Chequers, with the Prime Minister challenging Merkel's call for stricter restrictions on vaccinated British travellers. Merkel's visit to the UK marks a significant moment in her final year as German chancellor, with the two leaders set to announce several joint initiatives. However, their talks may be overshadowed by disagreements over travel restrictions, with Merkel urging other EU nations to introduce quarantine for vaccinated Britons.

Key Takeaways:

  • Boris Johnson will challenge Angela Merkel over her proposal for stricter travel restrictions on vaccinated British travellers during their meeting at Chequers.
  • Merkel has called for the European Union to adopt a single policy of making Britons quarantine even when double-jabbed to protect from the Indian/delta variant of coronavirus.
  • Johnson has declared that getting two doses of the Covid vaccines would be the "liberator" for travel, repeating that rules for quarantining when arriving in the UK would be loosened later in the summer.
  • The UK and Germany will announce the creation of an award for British and German women in science, named after Merkel, who will study the subject with £10,000 given each year to an astrophysicist.
  • The two leaders will also announce that the UK and German cabinets will hold an annual joint meeting, starting next year.
  • Merkel will become the first foreign leader to address a virtual gathering of the Cabinet, following in the footsteps of Bill Clinton in 1997.
  • A plan to increase funding for the UK-German Connection exchange programme will also be announced.
  • Jens Spahn, Germany's health minister, has suggested that if the delta variant becomes dominant in the country and vaccines are shown to protect against it, Britain may no longer be considered a coronavirus variant country.

Statistics:

  • 37% of new Covid cases in Germany are now caused by the delta variant, up from 15% a week earlier (1).
  • Merkel has been German chancellor for 16 years and will step down in September (2).
  • The UK will host an annual joint meeting with the German cabinet, starting next year (3).
  • £10,000 will be given each year to an astrophysicist through the award created in honour of Merkel (4).
  • Bill Clinton was the last foreign leader to address a virtual gathering of the Cabinet in 1997 (5).

Sources:

  • (1) "Jens Spahn, Germany's health minister, said that if the delta variant became dominant in the country and vaccines were shown to protect against it, Britain may no longer be considered a so-called coronavirus variant country."
  • (2) "Mrs Merkel will step down in September after 16 years as chancellor."
  • (3) "The UK and German cabinets will hold an annual joint meeting, starting next year."
  • (4) "The award for British and German women in science will give £10,000 each year to an astrophysicist."
  • (5) "Bill Clinton was the last foreign leader to address a virtual gathering of the Cabinet in 1997."

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