THE government’s failure to impose emergency border controls in mid-March was a “serious mistake” that accelerated Covid-19’s spread across Britain, MPs claimed yesterday. 

On March 13, the Tories withdrew advice for people travelling to Britain from high-risk countries including China, Iran and Italy to self-isolate for 14 days. 

This was despite other countries imposing strict quarantine, self-isolating and testing measures on arrivals during the same period. 

Evidence received by the home affairs committee found that in the 10 days between that decision and March 23, when lockdown was imposed nationwide, thousands of infected people entered the country from Europe. 

“The committee therefore concludes that the failure to have any special border measures during this period was a serious mistake that significantly increased both the pace and the scale of the epidemic in the UK,” the damning report said. 

Border restrictions were not reintroduced until June 8. 

Committee chairwoman Yvette Cooper told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “We saw evidence that, even just a couple of days after the government lifted its guidance, you had an estimated 900 people arriving in a day with Covid-19 who then weren’t asked to isolate and we just see no science behind that decision at all. 

“I think it’s that lack of science, the lack of transparency, that is so concerning.”

The committee said its requests for the Home Office to provide the scientific advice behind its decisions had been ignored.

Shadow home secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds said the report served as a “stark warning” for ministers to learn lessons “and fast.” 

A Home Office spokeswoman claimed that the committee was “incorrect in its assertions.”

“All of our decisions throughout the pandemic have been guided by the science, with appropriate measures introduced at the right time to keep us all safe,” she added.