Viewers have reacted after travel expert Simon Calder told a Brexiteer commentator exactly why the disastrous delays for travellers visiting France have happened. Andrew Pierce appearing on Good Morning Britain blamed the situation on the French for not putting on enough staff.
But travel expert Simon Calder told him in no uncertain terms ‘you have got exactly what you wanted. The debate on GMB started when stand in presenter Ed Balls said: “I think we should ask travel expert Andrew Pierce. Why are there all these queues?”
Rightwing commentator Andrew Pierce said: “Blame the French. The French haven’t employed enough staff. He’s going to say Brexit, but as you know Ed we had these checks before we left the European Union.”
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Charlotte Hawkins said: “They’re having to do further checks. They’re having to do different checks.”
Mr Pierce added: “But we were not in the Schengen agreement, so it’s exactly the same system, and the French apparently are not putting enough staff on exactly the same system."
Kevin Maguire from the Daily Mirror said: “I think it’s really regrettable, but you wanted to take back control. You give up control.”
Pierce replied: “You completely ignored the fact we were not in the Schengen agreement. So there were checks before there were checks, but they were outside the Schengen, but there were checks before and there are still checks now.”
However travel expert Simon Calder said: “But I’m afraid Andrew Pierce I have to say you have got exactly what you wanted, which is the effects of Brexit, which gives back control to the French.
“We have said we want to be treated as third countries citizens. That means instead of just waving the passport out of the window when you breeze past or just being completely wave passed because there’s a bit of a queue building up. The French official has to, because we asked to be third country nationals, the French official has to ask you to see your passport.
“They have to stamp it. They're supposed to check that you haven’t had too many journeys to European Union 90 days in any 100 days. Andrew, they need to ask you whether or not you’ve got enough money for your stay whether you’ve got a return ticket. These are all rules that we helped devise and build in.”
Kevin Maguire then asked Andrew Pierce: “Would you like to apologise to all those people whose holidays disrupted with your Brexit fantasy?”
Viewers responded. Otto English said: “Andrew Pierce has got exactly what he wanted. Hard Brexit means - we’ve handed control to the French and created border chaos and misery at Dover.”
Dorothy Lepkowska added: “Not sure why Andrew Pierce is laughing and smirking. None of this is funny.” Keith Lewin: “Simon Calder totally buries Andrew Pierce on GMB regarding Brexit. Pierce unsurprisingly, “it’s the French”. Simon Calder, “it’s Brexit”. Remind me again, who is the expert?”
Miles-long tailbacks seen in recent days around the Port of Dover which disrupted thousands of people's summer travel plans, are "stark evidence of how fragile our continental links across the Channel can be" the RAC Foundation said. The transport policy and research organisation called for investment in extra lorry parking with facilities for drivers instead of relying on what it branded an "inadequate solution of turning a motorway into a lorry park".
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