Boris brushes aside Angela Merkel's 'grave concern' about the number of fans attending Euro 2020 games at Wembley
Angela Merkel today expressed her 'grave concern' at the number of football fans allowed to attend Euro 2020 games at Wembley Stadium.
The German Chancellor said far fewer people had been permitted to watch tournament games hosted in Munich and she believes the UK Government's approach is 'a bit too much'.
But Boris Johnson insisted the games at Wembley are going ahead in a 'very careful and controlled manner' as he rejected calls to reduce fan numbers.
Angela Merkel today expressed her 'grave concern' at the number of football fans allowed to attend Euro 2020 games at Wembley Stadium
More than 60,000 fans will be allowed to attend the semi-finals and the final of the tournament at the stadium in west London
Almost 42,000 fans attended Wembley for last Tuesday's last-16 match between Germany and England.
More than 60,000 will be allowed to attend the semi-finals and the final of the tournament at the stadium in west London.
The UK Government has faced pressure in recent days over the number of fans permitted to attend after it emerged hundreds of coronavirus cases were linked to Scotland fans travelling to London for the England versus Scotland game on June 18.
Speaking at press conference at Chequers alongside Mr Johnson, Mrs Merkel was asked whether she believed the Government should reduce the crowd size.
Mrs Merkel said: ‘I can only say this on my behalf that I see this with grave concern. I have also said this to the Prime Minister.
‘We in Germany, as you know, decided to have less people attend games in the Munich stadium.
‘But the British Government obviously will take its own decision but I am very much concerned whether it is not a bit too much, yes.'
Boris Johnson insisted the games at Wembley are going ahead in a 'very careful and controlled manner' as he rejected calls to reduce fan numbers
But Mr Johnson hit back and said: ‘Of course we will follow the scientific guidance, the advice if we receive any such suggestion.
‘But at the moment… the position is very clear in the UK which is that we have certain events which we can put on in a very careful and controlled manner with testing of everybody who goes there.
‘And the crucial point is that here in the UK we have now built up a very considerable wall of immunity against the disease by our vaccination programme.’