Labour suggests rethink on Rhodes travel advice amid insurance concerns
The Government has said it keeps the advice under constant review.
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Your support makes all the difference.The Government should “rethink” the advice it is providing for people considering travelling to the Greek island of Rhodes, Labour has suggested, amid concerns cancellations may not be covered by insurers.
Labour leader in the Lords Baroness Smith of Basildon said the “lack of advisory” from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is “not helpful”.
Wildfires have seen thousands of people evacuated from the island.
The FCDO has not formally advised people not to travel to the island, and instead is advising those planning to travel to any areas affected by wildfires to check with their travel operator.
The Government’s advisory is not helpful – or lack of advisory – to those who are not sure if they should fly this week
Speaking during a private notice question in the House of Lords, Tory former cabinet minister Lord Young of Cookham asked if the FCDO is “really expecting families booked to go to Rhodes over the next few days to go ahead with their plans”.
Speaking for the Government, Lords deputy chief whip the Earl of Courtown said: “The FCDO travel advice should not impact people’s ability to claim insurance for things like cancelled hotel bookings or flight changes, depending on their policy and level of cover.
“We recognise however there are some travel companies that do use FCDO advice as a reference point to policies.
“Our travel advice is focused on ensuring the safety of British nationals and is designed to give people the detail they need to make an informed decision.”
Lady Smith said the minister should “rethink this matter”.
She said: “When the minister at the FCDO (Andrew Mitchell) is asked if he would go to Rhodes on holiday he admitted he wouldn’t travel there.
“And yet the Government’s advisory is not helpful – or lack of advisory – to those who are not sure if they should fly this week or not, or what the financial consequences could be.
“With the cost-of-living crisis, many people make sacrifices for their… annual holiday for a week, and I do ask the noble Lord to reconsider the reply he gave to the noble Lord Young.
“I’m not convinced he is entirely understanding the position of insurance companies and the struggle that many families face to pay for these holidays.”
Lord Courtown responded: “I quite understand the point… The situation in Rhodes is stabilising at the moment. The vast majority of the island is not affected by these fires.”
“Our travel advice is kept under constant review. But I do understand, and of course I will take this back,” he said.
The Liberal Democrats also said it wanted to see travel advice change and urged Rishi Sunak to call an emergency meeting.
The party’s foreign affairs spokeswoman Layla Moran said: “While thousands of British holidaymakers are impacted by the wildfires on Rhodes, Rishi Sunak has shown a failure of leadership.
“The Prime Minister needs to take action and urgently convene an emergency Cobra meeting to help holidaymakers.
“The Government must also immediately change the Foreign Office advice to essential travel only, which will enable the thousands of British tourists due to fly to Rhodes to safely cancel their holidays without being left out of pocket.
“Holidaymakers are being let down by this Conservative Government and a Prime Minister who is missing in action when they need him.”
Lord Courtown also told peers that when it comes to British nationals on the island, it was his understanding that “all are in good health”.
And he reiterated that it is for tour operators to return holidaymakers, saying: “There are no plans for the UK Government to repatriate holidaymakers from Rhodes as Rhodes airport is operating normally.”
The minister added that the situation is a “wake-up call… as far as climate change is concerned”.