Spanish border

[Derek]

From Sky news Labour calls for all amber countries to be put on red list

Shadow home secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds MP is speaking at a Labour press conference.

He is highly critical of the government's border policy, slamming it for being slow to put India on the travel red list, and claiming the delay in lockdown easing in England is the fault of Number 10.

He even goes as far as to call the Delta variant - which emerged in India - the "Johnson" variant.

Mr Thomas-Symonds says Labour will be calling for a debate on travel in the Commons alongside the following measures:

Scrapping the amber travel list – and putting all amber countries on the red list
https://news.sky.com/story/covid-news-live-boris-johnson-delays-final-lockdown-easing-for-four-weeks-to-19-july-unless-far-more-dangerous-variant-emerges-12332073

Continuing with a "limited" green list
Working with international partners to create global standardised vaccine passport for travel
Negotiating financial support deal for the aviation industry(see link)

[chris and jackie]

Derek,

Typical labour rubbish, want to shaft travel industry even more. The public are more interested in when theatres, night clubs will open plus large weddings not that crap

[Blue and white stripes]

The good thing about being in opposition is that you can constantly come up with things like that knowing you won't have to put them into practice, go round saying what they would have done, and criticise everything just for the sake of it.

[Derek]

Yes I wondered how this would gain them any more support. I think I prefer Jeremy Corbyn's Free Broadband.

Derek

[wilson]

Should we sell or should we stay has been a frequent question on this forum for many years. The pandemic has shown the vulnerabilities of overseas property ownership. We have a tidy sum tied up in property and business in Spain and since the financial collapse it’s been the annual conundrum. I believe that we are going to have years of this variant issue, it’s how we manage getting back to normality that matters to me. The good news is that GA is deemed by the city living Spanish as the place to move to so that’s a positive, it’s never should have been on the tourist map it wasn’t back in 2000 so if the closure of that element happens then no sad loss in my opinion. Ironically I said in 2010 after the crash give it a year or two to get better, that was 12 years ago.

[Blue and white stripes]

Three calls in three days so far.

[Spurs]

I’m on day 5 now and only had 1 call on day 1 done my 2 day test and got back negative result . That’s 2 tests in 6 days !!! I’ve had both jabs 2nd one 4 weeks ago yet  I’m in quarantine but probably safer than the people near you in Tescos

Someone tell me how this makes sense ?

[DaveG]

It doesn't make sense and whatever it's costing is the real scandal. I've just done my day 8 test and have been called everyday except one. My wife was called today by a guy who was barely coherent and couldn't read off the script whereas I was called by a real person and we managed to pass the time of day quite amicably.

[DaveG]

Hi Spurs.

It is nice to know that I am not alone with my thoughts.

I seriously cannot afford the cost of testing and the quarantine period. Yes I used to go over about ten times a year for a cheap holiday and the novelty is now wearing off very quickly. 

I might make a final trip and put it on the market and sell the car. It has only done about 1,200 kilometers.

Derek

Mine is sold.

After buying the house in 2002 we usually visited one a month; then in February 2016 (before the referendum) I put my retirement plan into practice and for the following four years drove over to Spain, staying about 9 or 10 months and the balance in the UK. Then came Let's Get Brexit Done and the 90 days in 180 came into force. Am I bitter. Absolutely.

[Derek]

Dave

That is the problem. If you had stayed in Spain for 1 day in excess of 6 months you should have applied for residency. Also taking your UK car to Spain for over 6 months was also illegal. Many Brits abused the system and now a few have been sent home they don't like it.

I also dislike the UK being outside Europe but I do think Brits ought to play by the Spanish rule book when buying a property in Spain.

Derek

[DaveG]

Hi Derek, yes I know the rules as do the other nationalities on my urb who also stay for long periods so spare me the lecture.

 The Spanish government knew full well the situation and turned a blind eye as people like me were retired, self sufficient, taking nothing out of the Spanish economy but putting plenty in. I'm not the criminal element or working and paying no tax. With freedom of movement it's an impossibility to keep track of everyone and why bother providing no crime is committed.

 I wasn't abusing the system at all just playing outside the hard and fast rules with the tacit approval of the government. I'm sure also plenty of Spanish nationals did the same and overstayed visits to the UK.

[NickiH]

With half of GA closed it was not the same as it’s been

Yes it’s quieter in terms of numbers, and there’s a number of bars closed. But if that equates to half of GA closed I’d hate to think what the % in the U.K. is.
Life isn’t just about bars, and over here you’ve still been able to pretty much shop anywhere, see doctors, hairdressers, bank staff and whoever face to face ( albeit wearing a mask ) throughout, we haven’t been reduced to a life of telephone consultations or zoom meetings as seems to now be the norm in the U.K.

To be honest we have been out a week and I’m finding it difficult to remember we are in a pandemic. Everything apart from wearing the mask on the street which I find totally over the top is pretty much normal. It’s a small sacrifice to wear it for everything else which is open. True there are not many visitors but Monday night they were partying and singing in the little Dutch restaurant until about 9.30 pm by the Gran Mundo. Beaches were busy in Santa pola yesterday. Definitely feels less restrictive than the UK

[Blue and white stripes]

Four calls in the four days so far. It's getting a bit boring now. To lighten the mood I said 'I'm glad you've rung early as I'm waiting to go out.' Result stunned silence on the other end of the phone. These people have no sense of humour.

[DaveG]

I'm on day 9 today and have been called everyday except one. Today when the robot asked was I OK to continue the call in English I said no I would prefer Spanish - she didn't lose her stride at all and asked could I wait for an interpreter. At that point I gave up the joking.

[Spurs]

I’m feeling very neglected day 6 and still only the one call on day 1 . Feel like I’m missing out on something.