Furious caller hits out at 'hapless' Govt as his business is 'destroyed'

4 June 2021, 13:17 | Updated: 4 June 2021, 13:20

This frustrated caller, who has an airport taxi firm with over 700 drivers, has told LBC his business has been "completely and totally destroyed" over the last 17 months.

David in Leeds spoke to LBC as Portugal has been removed from the UK's green travel list, meaning that from 4am on Tuesday holidaymakers will have to quarantine at home for ten days after visiting, and pay for two Covid tests to be taken on days two and eight.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has confirmed the change, citing concern over what has been labelled a Nepal Covid mutation.

David questioned why this decision was made after it was also reported that half of the UK's adult population has received both doses of a Covid vaccine, questioning the purpose of the rollout if not to return to normal life.

READ MORE: Holidaymakers scramble to get back from Portugal before quarantine begins

Speaking to LBC's Nick Ferrari, he said: "My business over the last 17 months has been completely and totally destroyed by the hapless policy of our leaders.

"We are losing in turnover over £1.2 million each and every month. This is for an owner-managed business. That's an absolute fortune."

Nick asked how he would respond to those insisting we remain in lockdown due to the many variants.

He added: "Never in the history of man have we successfully got a virus to extinction. This virus is going to be around for the rest of my life, my children's life and their children's life. We have to learn to live with the virus, we can't all be held hostage to fortune.

"Why have we been double-vaccinated? We've been double-vaccinated to go and live our lives."

READ MORE: Portugal: 'Where was the green watch list Shapps promised?' Nick Ferrari asks Jenrick

"We now need to live our lives. We can't be having a hapless duo of [Grant] Shapps and [Matt] Hancock making policy on the hoof.

"They promised us what happened last year wouldn't happen this year, and it has happened all over again."

Meanwhile, earlier this week, Boris Johnson insisted there is "nothing in the data" to suggest the planned June 21 lifting of Covid restrictions in England would not go ahead.

READ MORE: 'UK Government continues to steal power and money from Wales', says Mark Drakeford
READ MORE: Ryanair chief: Vaccines will remove the need for 'crazy' Covid-19 PCR tests for travel