Mr Scully disclosed that he was on holiday in Playa Dorada, Lanzarote, and posted a picture on Instagram of a drink with the caption: “Best turn to gin. I’ll still be able to work. Just no shopping or running I guess #quarantine.”
Dominic Raab, the Foreign Secretary, who has advised against all non-essential travel to mainland Spain, said there was “an element of uncertainty this summer if people go abroad” and that he had decided to play safe with a staycation.
He said: “I’m not going to tell people what they should and shouldn’t do – they should follow the advice. I’m going to be staying at home this summer.”
He said Mr Shapps had been understanding about the need to reimpose tight controls on those arriving into the UK from Spain.
The Transport Secretary, whose department formally announced the rule change, reportedly had to dial in from Spain to discuss altering the guidance with Cabinet colleagues on Saturday.
“I think it shows you the risk to everyone,” said Mr Raab when asked about his reaction to Mr Shapps being “trapped by his own quarantine”. He added: “I spoke to Grant Shapps yesterday [Saturday] afternoon, and it shows you we’ve brought swift measures that we can put in in real time.”