Fury after 180 Romanian crop-pickers who flew into the UK were not tested for coronavirus
A DECISION to let East European fruit-pickers fly to Britain with no Covid-19 tests has sparked fury.
A jet carrying 180 Romanian workers has landed at Stansted as the pandemic hit its peak — with up to six more flights on the way.
Read our coronavirus live blog for the latest news & updates
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps insists the migrant workers are “critically important” to prevent crops being left to rot in fields.
But furious colleagues claim it is “madness” and a high-risk gamble amid fears some may have come from Romania’s coronavirus red zone. There have been 8,418 confirmed cases of the virus there and 421 deaths.
Some argue there are also an extra 1.4 million Brits out of work in the crisis who could do the jobs. One colleague accused Mr Shapps of being “gung-ho” about letting the flights land.
A Cabinet source said: “Why, when our country is in lockdown, are we letting in tens of thousands of people a day? We are the only ones in Europe, it’s madness.”
Ex-Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said: “The Government has done well getting the pandemic under control. But it’s hard to understand the decision to allow thousands of people to walk through ports and airports without testing. This cannot be right.”
The pickers had masks and gloves coming out of the airport and were social distancing.
CORONAVIRUS CRISIS - STAY IN THE KNOW
Don't miss the latest news and figures - and essential advice for you and your family.
To receive The Sun’s Coronavirus newsletter in your inbox every tea time, sign up here.
To follow us on Facebook, simply ‘Like’ our Coronavirus page.
Get Britain’s best-selling newspaper delivered to your smartphone or tablet each day – find out more.
MOST READ IN NEWS
They were taken by buses to a 7,000-hectare super- farm in East Anglia to start the picking season tomorrow. The migrants can enter Britain under freedom of movement laws, which stay in place until the EU transition ends on December 31.
UK farms rely on a “land army” of 90,000 pickers from Eastern Europe.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs appealed for home help but only 4,000 made themselves available.
Give now to The Sun's NHS appeal
BRITAIN’s four million NHS staff are on the frontline in the battle against coronavirus.
But while they are helping save lives, who is there to help them?
The Sun has launched an appeal to raise £1MILLION for NHS workers.
The Who Cares Wins Appeal aims to get vital support to staff in their hour of need.
We have teamed up with NHS Charities Together in their urgent Covid-19 Appeal to ensure the money gets to exactly who needs it.
The Sun is donating £50,000 and we would like YOU to help us raise a million pounds, to help THEM.
No matter how little you can spare, please donate today here
Join our George Cross campaign for NHS staff
SUN readers are today urged to sign a petition calling for our NHS staff to be awarded the George Cross.
Yesterday, we backed a proposal by Lord Ashcroft to honour our health heroes with the gallantry gong given for acts of bravery that did not take place in battle.
A No10 spokesman said: “The NHS is doing a fantastic job and the nation will want to find a way to say thank you when we have defeated this virus.”
SAS hero Andy McNab added: “The award of a George Cross would show an emotional appreciation.”
We are asking readers to sign the petition online at thesun.co.uk/georgecrossfornhs.
- GOT a story? RING The Sun on 0207 782 4104 or WHATSAPP on 07423720250 or EMAIL exclusive@the-sun.co.uk