Appearing in the media this weekend, we discussed our increasingly popular bid for a judicial review into the government’s Hotel Quarantine Policy.
We were quoted by numerous news outlets in articles about the policy, including the Daily Mail, The Independent, and City Am, after hundreds of travellers were left stuck in countries that were abruptly added to the reimposed red list.
The government has come under fire for the lack of notice given to people who had travelled to countries like South Africa to see family for the first time in two years.
Clients in turmoil
Our clients Owen Hancock and Emily Mennie, like many others, were left with a £4,000 credit card bill after the UK added South Africa to the red list and they were told they would have to stay at hotel quarantine when they arrived back in the UK.
The couple, from Tooting, London, had their travel plans thrown into chaos with the news of the red list. When they were finally able to book a flight home, they were told to reschedule due to a lack of capacity at quarantine hotels in the UK.
The couple have set up an online petition, which has already attracted more than 50,000 signatures. They are backing our legal challenge.
Seeking permission for judicial review
On Thursday (9 December), while Emily and Owen will spend their third day in quarantine, our legal team are heading to the Royal Court of Justice to seek permission for a judicial review into the Hotel Quarantine Policy.
Speaking to The Independent earlier this week, Tom Goodhead, Global Managing Partner and CEO, said: “We wholeheartedly appreciate the seriousness of the Omicron variant, as well as the efforts of governments and healthcare workers to tackle it.
“This does not, however, mean that policies which constitute extraordinary violations of traditional liberties and human rights can escape the careful judicial examination they deserve.”
“Hotel quarantine is a fundamental breach of people’s human rights,” Tom continued.
“Law-abiding citizens who have been double vaccinated and tested negative should be free from hotel quarantine. The idea that they need to pay for the privilege of their own imprisonment is outrageous.
“It is for this reason that we are taking the UK government to court. If we are successful, people like Owen and Emily could eventually be entitled to compensation.”
Our comments and our upcoming legal challenge have continued to feature in the news all over the world this week.
My Diesel Claim in the news
In addition to our hotel quarantine coverage, we were also been featured in news stories recently for our diesel emissions fraud claim. We are acting for thousands of drivers in our group litigation case against Volkswagen and the Dieselgate emissions scandal.
Legal Director and Head of Consumer Protection Litigation, Tony Winterburn, spoke to journalists in relation to two applications being heard in the High Court this week.
The Guardian newspaper ran a preview article into the “Dieselgate” hearing whilst other High Court news reporters are in attendance at the City Court House.
Judgments on the applications are expected early next year.
