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Leeds news LIVE: Johnson to face MPs as confusion reigns over international travel rules

Boris Johnson could face pressure to clarify the confusion around international travel rules when he takes Prime Minister’s Questions for the first time since Parliament reopened last week.
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Facing Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer in a six-question round for the first time since the local elections and the Queen’s Speech, the Prime Minister is likely to face questions on where it is safe to holiday after one of his ministers said all international trips were “dangerous”.

Would-be holidaymakers were left with their plans for a summer break up in the air after ministers appeared to contradict themselves over where the public are permitted to travel abroad.

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With a new traffic light system brought in on Monday to allow some foreign travel to resume again after months of coronavirus lockdown, the Prime Minister stressed countries on the so-called “amber list” were “not somewhere where you should be going on holiday”.

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Man arrested in Leeds on suspicion of war crimes during Sierra Leone civil war

A man has been arrested on suspicion of committing war crimes carried out during the civil war in Sierra Leone, police said.

The Metropolitan Police said officers from its war crimes team had arrested a 42-year-old man at an address in Leeds on Tuesday on suspicion of offences contrary to section 51 of the International Criminal Court Act 2001.

The force said the arrest was part of an ongoing investigation into alleged atrocities that occurred during the civil war in Sierra Leone between 1994 and 2000.

Officers also carried out a search of the property while the man was taken to a police station in Leeds before being released under investigation.

The civil war in Sierra Leone broke out in 1991 when the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) began a campaign against President Joseph Momoh, capturing towns on the border with Liberia.

The charity Action Aid said the west African country saw a third of its population displaced and tens of thousands killed during the 11-year conflict.

US-based non-government organisation (NGO) Human Rights Watch has said the conflict was characterised by “extreme brutality and widespread human rights abuses against civilians”.

Education minister Gillian Keegan comments on amber list

A Government minister has urged people to be “sensible” and not travel to “amber list” countries for holidays.

Education minister Gillian Keegan said travel to amber list destinations was supposed to be for “special circumstances” such as business or funerals.

“What we are saying is the amber list is not to go on holiday, not for pleasure travel at the moment,” she told Sky News.

“It’s not in legislation, we haven’t legislated to ban people from going on holiday abroad. This is guidance.

“As with many of these things we have had throughout the pandemic this has been about relying on the great British public to be sensible and follow the guidance we have put in place and taking their own decisions really.

“But, no, we wouldn’t advise going on holiday to the amber list countries.”

Johnson to face MPs as confusion reigns over international travel rules

Boris Johnson could face pressure to clarify the confusion around international travel rules when he takes Prime Minister’s Questions for the first time since Parliament reopened last week.

Facing Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer in a six-question round for the first time since the local elections and the Queen’s Speech, the Prime Minister is likely to face questions on where it is safe to holiday after one of his ministers said all international trips were “dangerous”.

Would-be holidaymakers were left with their plans for a summer break up in the air after ministers appeared to contradict themselves over where the public are permitted to travel abroad.

With a new traffic light system brought in on Monday to allow some foreign travel to resume again after months of coronavirus lockdown, the Prime Minister stressed countries on the so-called “amber list” were “not somewhere where you should be going on holiday”.

Mr Johnson’s official spokesman, during a briefing with reporters on Tuesday, said holidays and leisure travel should still be restricted to the limited number of countries deemed safe by ministers, such as Portugal, which feature on the quarantine-free “green list”.

But two Cabinet ministers appeared to offer a different reading of the rules, with Environment Secretary George Eustice telling broadcasters people could go to amber-listed countries as long as they observed quarantine rules on their return.

Welsh Secretary Simon Hart, speaking after Mr Johnson’s comments on the matter, told Times Radio the public should ask themselves whether a trip to a country on the amber list was “essential” before conceding that “some people might think a holiday is essential”.

And despite the presence of a green list comprising 12 countries and territories, health minister Lord Bethell told peers he considered all foreign travel to be “dangerous” and urged Britons to holiday at home this summer.

Lord Bethell told the House of Lords on Tuesday: “Travelling is dangerous.

“We do ask people, particularly as we go into the summer, travelling is not for this year, please stay in this country.”

Yorkshire Evening Post front page:

This is today’s Yorkshire Evening Post front page on Wednesday, May 19.

Man confirmed dead after flat fire

A 74-year-old man has died after a fire in Rothwell, police have confirmed.

The man was pronounced dead at the scene.

There were no suspicious circumstances and the Coroner’s Office has been informed, police said.

“I heard a loud bang, then I heard a boom"

One Wood Drive resident said: “First of all I heard a loud bang, then I heard a boom. I came out of the door and all I could see was smoke.”

The resident, who did not want to be named, said she saw that the window of one of the upstairs flats had blown through.

She said: “It sounded like something had blown up.”

She said another neighbour alerted emergency services and three fire engines along with police, an ambulance and the air ambulance arrived at the scene.

The air ambulance landed in a nearby field.

The neighbour said police asked around 10 residents living close to the scene of the fire to leave the flats for around three hours.

She added: “It was awful. There was a lot of thick, black smoke.”

Another Wood Drive resident said she  arrived home to see emergency services on Wood Drive.

She said: “I got home and the street was full of fire engines and police.

“The fire service told us to stay outside for a bit so they could ensure it was safe for us to return and that no smoke had gone into the flats.”

The resident, who did not want to be identified, said she did not know the man who lived at the flat.

She said: “He kept himself to himself.”