ANOTHER BRADFORD MP is pleased to see Pakistan being removed from the red travel list by the government.

Imran Hussain, who represents Bradford East, echoed Bradford West MP Naz Shah in welcoming Transport Secretary Grant Shapps' decision.

The traffic light system will be replaced by a single red list from October 4.

More simplified measures will be introduced for the rest of the world.

While eight countries, including Turkey, Pakistan and Maldives, have been removed from the red list, starting on September 22.

Although he is delighted at the news, Mr Hussain feels that the "appalling handling of this situation" should not be forgotten.

He said: “After a long campaign urging the government to stop making bad decisions based on politics, and to instead make them based on science, I am pleased that ministers have now finally seen sense and have followed the data to remove travel restrictions placed on Pakistan.

“Following this change, those returning from Pakistan will no longer have to quarantine in overpriced, managed quarantine hotels, but ministers still have questions to answer over their appalling handling of this situation, including on the abysmal standards in these hotels and on why they kept Pakistan on the Red List for so long.”

Ms Shah also accused the government of making political decisions about travel lists rather than following the data.

She added: “I am delighted that Pakistan has come off the red list.

“This decision should have been made a very long time ago, however, we have seen that this government has continuously favoured political choices rather than following data and the science.

“It is important that we continue to follow government guidance/measures to keep ourselves, our families, and our communities, including all the key workers, safe.”