Priti Patel dodges question on coronavirus border controls

Home Secretary Priti Patel during a media briefing on coronavirus (Covid-19) in Downing Street - Credit: PA

Priti Patel dodged a question on UK taking a belated border of its borders in response to coronavirus.

Speaking at the latest Downing Street press conference, the home secretary was asked by BBC journalist Vicki Young whether she felt “pleased” that Boris Johnson “has finally come round to your way of thinking” in respect of tougher border controls.

Footage emerged in recent days of Patel saying she advocated for border closure back in March, some nine months before the prime minister took the decision.

Johnson has since been accused of overruling his home secretary, with the question designed to gauge her views on the subject.

Rather than elaborating on whether she felt vindicated in light of the border restrictions now in place in the UK, Patel focused on the “stringent measures” that do exist.

Citing the need for a negative test, the imposition of quarantine and passenger location forms as success stories, Patel did not make reference to the once-divided viewpoints of herself and her party leader.