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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think Wales have done the right thing by ‘closing the border’

98 replies

Welshgirlinexile · 16/10/2020 05:04

I am welsh but live in England. All my family live in wales and at the moment, because of a local lockdown in South Wales, my sister is unable to visit my elderly mother in another county in wales.

And yet until today, people from other places in the UK were allowed to drive into wales (potentially from areas with a high infection rate) and go wherever they want on their holidays.

I have read loads of criticism of this policy but aibu to think why the hell should people from outside wales be allowed to drive all over the country (potentially spreading the virus) when my family aren’t allowed to see each other in Wales?

People have made loads of sacrifices in wales so why should that sacrifice be undermined by people coming from other areas?

I can’t currently visit my mum as I am not allowed now but I could have driven 200 miles from London whereas my sister couldn’t drive 40 miles up the road. Fucking bonkers.

Aibu?

OP posts:
Westfacing · 16/10/2020 08:54

OP surely your sister in Wales is allowed to make a welfare visit to your elderly mother?

AllTheThingsHeSaid · 16/10/2020 08:56

It's sad but necessary. How odd though that when areas of England impose their own rules that's okay, but when Wales does it, it's all about the evil nationalists.
And by the way, please don't cheapen the term "racism" by using it here. For one thing, we're the same race, so it would be xenophobia anyway.

the only difference between people living in Wales and those living in England are their accents.
This is so ignorant it actually made me giggle. Wales and England have separate but equally wonderful, rich, diverse cultures. Yes, we have a lot in common- as we do with the US, say, or Australia- but it's ok that we're a bit different too.

Gypsymorph · 16/10/2020 08:56

People entering the UK from higher risk countries have to quarantine for 14 days.
Why should it be any different for higher risk areas of the UK?
The virus doesn't care if you travel by plane, car or roller skates.

Spam88 · 16/10/2020 09:04

Of course this is a perfectly reasonable restriction. Cries of racism (even if welsh and English people were different races...) are ludicrous. Previously, I was unable to visit Pembrokeshire because my county had around 100 cases per 100000 a week, but someone could have come from Nottingham with its 840 per 100000. How can anyone think making restrictions the same for people entering an area regardless of which part of the U.K. they come from is nationalism?

Cadent · 16/10/2020 09:07

As long as it means Welsh people can't come to England either then it would be fine.

taraRoo · 16/10/2020 09:13

No yabu. There is no border to close. The U.K. is one country. This is petty, divisive and unenforceable. Wales wouldn't like it if England shut them in!

I'm disappointed in Wales. I'd expect this from the Scotland whose first minister's primary aim is to split up the U.K.
Not to mention all the money that will be lost from tourism. Last time I looked Wales didn't have the widest economic base. Loss of visitors is devastating.you can open hotels in a Covid secure way.

foilflower · 16/10/2020 09:14

Cadent, people in lockdown areas in Wales can’t leave their area unless for essential reasons like work.

I’m glad they’ve done it. I can’t believe people in high risk areas in England are allowed to travel freely. And I’m in Wales and all my family are in England, in a high risk area. I’ve seen them once since March but I’m looking at the bigger picture.

2beautifulbabs · 16/10/2020 09:15

While I agree with stopping people holidaying in wales and visiting.

I hope they don't go to extremes of stopping people going to work my husband works in Bristol and we rely on his wage can't afford the risk of no income or job loss.

I feel things are going bonkers yes it's scary covid but there's a lot more at stake than this virus job losses suicides cancer deaths education it all needs to be balanced more and weighed up what's worth it a few dying from the virus or hundreds Or thousands even suffering and dying 🤷‍♀️
It's obvious this virus isn't going to just disappear and I think we all need to be realistic that a vaccine may never even happen instead of holding on to the idea that by summer next year it will all be over the damage this virus has already done to the economy will be lasting for many years to come and I really hope the government don't do another massive lockdown like they done in March it will fuck the economy and lives up for years to come where our great grandchildren will still be trying to repair the damage.

Spam88 · 16/10/2020 09:16

@Cadent We already couldn't go to England...people in high risk areas in wales aren't allowed to leave their counties. That's the entire point of the new rules, to make things fair.

Spam88 · 16/10/2020 09:19

@2beautifulbabs even in full lockdown travel for work was allowed, there has been no situation during this pandemic where travel for work hasn't been allowed (unless an individual is isolating of course), I can't imagine a situation in which this would be banned. I don't even quite know what you're suggesting - that boris is going to be petty and retaliate by banning welsh people from entering England?

Cadent · 16/10/2020 09:52

That's fine then, but people on thread are saying only some areas in Wales are in lockdown, so presumably those that aren't in lockdown can come to England?

Just saying if the border is closed to English people then it should also be closed to Welsh people.

1990shopefulftm · 16/10/2020 09:57

My families in Wales and can't go more than 15 miles from their house, so I think it's quite sensible that I can't now drive 100 miles from the tier 2 area I live in to see them.
The hospital in Bangor has to cover such a large amount of people that it feels selfish to be going there when you don't need to, although I m a little gutted that I can't take my son to meet them when he's born in the next few weeks, I completely understand why they ve made this decision.

recededpronunciation · 16/10/2020 10:00

Bristol isn’t fabulous at the moment but that’s mostly down to university related infections. I know lots of folk who commute in both directions Gloucestershire - Wales for work and school. They are all supportive of the border closure (though education and work are exempt anyway) as they see how farcical it is that anyone from a high risk area in England can travel into Wales.

recededpronunciation · 16/10/2020 10:04

@cadent I think the difference is the one is high risk areas in Wales can’t leave that area. That isn’t being enforced with the high risk areas in England, so Wales are having to enforce it by banning travel into Wales from those areas. tier 1 areas can still travel into Wales.

RationalOne · 16/10/2020 10:05

The Welsh have in many areas high rates of infection so need stricter measures - obviously something went wrong there - perhaps people didn't bother following the guidelines?

I'd avoid Wales at the moment until they sort themselves out

foilflower · 16/10/2020 10:05

@Cadent

That's fine then, but people on thread are saying only some areas in Wales are in lockdown, so presumably those that aren't in lockdown can come to England?

Just saying if the border is closed to English people then it should also be closed to Welsh people.

Many areas in Wales are in lockdown (17 areas).

Those in tier 1 in England can still travel to Wales (to non lockdown areas, as no one can travel in or out of those).

foilflower · 16/10/2020 10:10

@RationalOne

The Welsh have in many areas high rates of infection so need stricter measures - obviously something went wrong there - perhaps people didn't bother following the guidelines?

I'd avoid Wales at the moment until they sort themselves out

The rates in Wales even in locked down areas are not as bad as many areas in England. Wales has just gone in earlier with lockdown measures. They were also slower to release restrictions, for example we’ve never been able to go to restaurants with people we don’t live with, even in summer when rates were very low.
BernardsarenotalwaysSaints · 16/10/2020 10:15

I can see why they're doing it & it is sensible but the selfish part of me will be upset in my area of England gets moved to tier 2 before half term. My DC really want to visit their Gran, who lives in Wales (in an area that currently has no extra restrictions), they've only seen her once since December last year. She can't come to us because we're a family of 7, none of the dc are counted in Wales though as they're 10 & under.

The whole 'border' thing is quite comical, if my Mum drives the 30 minutes to her closest town, which is in England, she crosses it 7 or 8 times, to get to the closest Welsh town (40 min) it's crossed a good dozen.

I do think it would be sensible if we imposed travel restrictions on those in higher risk areas of England (obviously there'd need to be caveats for work & education).

Bwlch · 16/10/2020 10:18

The virus doesn't care if you travel by plane, car or roller skates.

Well it does. On roller skates you aren't confined inside a metal box in close proximity to other travellers.

MaskingForIt · 16/10/2020 10:45

@Shoxfordian

My inlaws live in wales and we're in the uk As far as I'm concerned they can keep the border closed, maybe build a wall....
Wales is in the UK.
MaskingForIt · 16/10/2020 10:46

@Cadent

That's fine then, but people on thread are saying only some areas in Wales are in lockdown, so presumably those that aren't in lockdown can come to England?

Just saying if the border is closed to English people then it should also be closed to Welsh people.

You need to get onto the person responsible for making that decision then. The Welsh FM isn’t responsible for stopping people in Wales going to England.
MaskingForIt · 16/10/2020 10:49

@RationalOne

The Welsh have in many areas high rates of infection so need stricter measures - obviously something went wrong there - perhaps people didn't bother following the guidelines?

I'd avoid Wales at the moment until they sort themselves out

Wales has pretty low infection rates in March, but was locked down with the rest of the UK anyway. It’s now spreading in Wales much like it did in many other places in Feb/March. Nothing to do with people not following guidelines.
BoobsOnTheMoon · 16/10/2020 10:56

FML, some of you really are hard of reading aren't you?

English people are not being banned from crossing the border into Wales UNLESS they are travelling from a Tier 3 area (in which case they shouldn't really be travelling anywhere anyway but the UK govt hasn't had the sense to actually say so)

It's not racist.

It's not about "keeping the English out"

It's about saying, if you live in a high risk area you should not be travelling outside that area unless essential to do so. In England, this is not yet law. In Wales, it is. Wales are simply applying the same law to English residents as they are to Welsh residents, who have been subject to the same rule all along!

MinesaBottle · 16/10/2020 12:08

It’s not racist or nationalist, it’s based on where you live! I’m Welsh and live in London, we’re about to go into Tier 2 so I wouldn’t be welcome crossing the border any more than an English person living in England would. Unless my mum (not in a lockdown area) needed me I guess.

During the first lockdown there were news stories in the Welsh papers nearly every day about people being stopped and turned back, some of whom had travelled halfway across the country for a day trip! The police and media are pretty good at publicizing what they’re doing. Surely if you are in a local lockdown area you shouldn’t be able to travel outside it?

justasking111 · 16/10/2020 12:37

@MinesaBottle I am interested how will Khan ensure this tier 2 works as he would wish