Talking Point: What do you think of calls to scrap the amber travel list?

The Government today stood by its decision to update travel guidance, despite mounting calls for the amber list to be scrapped.

The backlash was largely in response to the downgrading of Portugal from the green to the amber list yesterday, in a move that left both holidaymakers and industry bosses outraged.

The Labour Party echoed calls for the system to be scrapped, with the party’s Shadow Home Secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds accusing the government of creating “chaos with the mishandling of travel restrictions at the border.”

Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick has maintained that travellers should have been aware the system was always subject to change.

But do you think the system is fair? And what are your thoughts on calls for the amber list to be scrapped? Let us know in the comments for your chance to be featured on Monday.

Opinion was split down the middle on outdoor smoking bans.

Some, such as “Fedupoflatetrains,” thought that it was an excellent idea: “Filthy disgusting habit about time it is being banned outdoors. You see these cancer corners now outside where they smoke and the amount of cigarette ends left on ground and stubbed out on tables etc is disgusting never mind the damage to other peoples health because of these selfish peoples smoke. Lets hope more Councils follow the trend in banning it. If you want to smoke do it in your own stinking homes.”

Others thought that the ban would be too much of an imposition on smokers. “Gram64” called the move “an imposition too far. Smokers must be allowed the limited freedoms they still have.”

“GreenerLondon” agreed: “Despite being a non-smoker, I would be AGAINST a smoking ban outside pubs and restaurants: It is too much regulation and by far too much control over individuals. Where an argument as to children is concerned, they should not be in a pub (or outside) in the first place. In restaurants, the peace and quiet is disturbed indoors already by noisy patrons, so why inconvenience smokers even further by barring them outside? This will further contribute to the demise of ordinary pubs (the emphasis on ‘ordinary’, rather than fancy wine bars).”

But others took a more balanced approach, with “Keepitreal” suggesting areas for both smokers and non-smokers. “As a non smoker I always hated that I couldn’t sit outside at tables without being forced to smoke other peoples smoke .. so about time (but there should be a smoking area for the smelly smokers).”