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Tensions flared with Spain after the government put the country on a travel blacklist and told tourists they must quarantine when they return to the UK. But the Prime Minister insisted it was his “duty” to prevent a fresh spike and warned more countries could follow if there are signs the disease is beginning to “bubble up” again. He said: “What we have to do is take swift and decisive action where we think that the risks are starting to bubble up again.

“Let’s be absolutely clear about what’s happening in Europe, amongst some of our European friends, I’m afraid you are starting to see in some places the signs of a second wave of the pandemic.”

Mr Johnson played down reports the 14 day quarantine period could be reduced to ten days soon but suggested changes could be made to the rules in the future.

“We are always looking at ways in which we can mitigate the impact of the quarantine, try to help people, try to make sure that the science is working to help travellers and holidaymakers,” he said.

“At the moment you have got to stick with the guidance that we are giving. We have given the guidance now about Spain and about some other places around the world.

“I’m afraid if we do see signs of a second wave in other countries it is really our job, our duty, to act swiftly and decisively to stop … travellers coming back from those places seeding the disease here in the UK.”

Five more countries have been added to the quarantine exemption list – Estonia, Latvia, Slovenia, Slovakia and St Vincent and the Grenadines.

But anyone arriving in England from the countries before Tuesday will still need to self-isolate.

Mr Johnson said it was up to individuals to decide whether they wanted to take the risk of going abroad.

“These are decisions for families, for individuals, about where they want to go,” he said.

“It’s vital that when people are coming back from abroad, if they are coming back from a place where I’m afraid there is another outbreak, they must go into quarantine.

“That’s why we have taken the action that we have and we will continue, throughout the summer, to take such action where it is necessary.”

British holidaymakers account for about a fifth of tourists in Spain.

Madrid had been urging the UK to exclude the Canaries and Balearics – which include popular tourist resorts on Ibiza, Majorca and Menorca – from travel restrictions.

But instead, official travel advice was tightened to bring the islands in line with the Spanish mainland.

The move infuriated Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who said the blanket policy is “unjust”.

He accused Britain of making an “error” about the figures on Covid cases in the country and his government is talking to the UK “to try to get them to reconsider”.

Mr Sanchez said the hike in coronavirus cases is focused in Catalonia and Aragon, rather than spread across the whole country and its islands.

“In most of Spain, the incidence is very much inferior to even the numbers registered in the United Kingdom,” he added.

Local government minister Simon Clarke said the government “respectfully” disagrees with Spain

“A 75 percent increase in cases reported between the middle of last week and the end of last week,” he said. “That’s why we took the action that we have.”

Mr Clarke called for employers to take a “sensible and compassionate” approach to staff caught up by the new travel restrictions when returning to England from abroad.

“We all feel deeply for everyone who’s been affected by this,” he said.

“We very strongly encourage employers to take a sensible and compassionate approach to people who find themselves in this situation.

“If people are in genuine crisis, then of course there is a safety net through the new employment support allowance or through Universal Credit and advances can be paid very quickly if you’re in immediate need.

“We really do hope that employers will be supportive and put sensible steps in place to accommodate people who are affected by this.

“It is, after all, through no fault of their own, so we really hope and expect employers will be supportive, but there is support there if people need it.”

But a former Tory minister insisted holidaymakers should not get taxpayer support as they chose to risk travelling in the middle of the crisis.

Baroness Buscombe said public money should not be spent on “people who have chosen to take risks by travelling, mostly for pleasure, in the middle of a worldwide pandemic”.

“Isn’t it time for everyone to stop treating people as if they are incapable of taking proportionate risks and accepting the consequences?” she added.

The latest travel restrictions have dealt a further blow to the travel industry, which was already in a fragile state after lockdown.

The Quash Quarantine campaign, set up by leading travel industry figures, warned blanket quarantine measures “kill travel”.

Spokesman Paul Charles said: “They put people off, they spread fear and there are alternatives which could be less financially damaging but equally effective.

“That’s a combination of testing at airports, test and trace systems and also making sure that at airports people are social distancing.

“I don’t understand why the government is not investing more in the measures.”

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