PEOPLE entering Wales and Scotland from Portugal and Greece are now required to self-isolate for 14 days – but Northern Ireland and England have not changed their rules.

Mainstream British media reports, travel bosses and UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, have called the differences confusing – but why is this?

It isn’t the first time the four nations have differed on quarantine rules – in fact, the UK Government’s initial changes to the scheme after a blanket self-isolation rule were criticised as “shambolic” by Scottish and Welsh first ministers Nicola Sturgeon and Mark Drakeford.

The Scottish Government opted to put Portugal back on the quarantine list after an increase in test positivity and cases per 100k. The country’s infection rate has risen from 15.3 to 23 per 100,000, above the threshold of 20 which the UK Government generally observes.

READ MORE: Grant Shapps claims Scotland 'jumped the gun' on Greece quarantine

It is not clear why Tory ministers did not put Portugal on the quarantine list.

Scotland has also recovered a high number of people returning from Greece with coronavirus, hence the quarantine measures. But Shapps accused the devolved nations of looking at dodgy data.

Ultimately, the rules are simple, despite reports of confusion. Follow the rules of the government where you live.

The quarantine rules are based on your final destination, so if you are going to Scotland or Wales from these destinations you must self-isolate for 14 days.

The reality of the situation is that we have devolution, and the devolved governments are entitled to make different decisions to one another.

ITV journalist Peter A Smith perfectly summed up the situation after the rules were changed for Scotland and Wales last night.

He told viewers: “We’re looking at if you’re coming back into Scotland from Greece, if you’re coming back into Wales, if you’re coming back into England, there’s all these different policies.

“Confused? Well maybe we shouldn’t be. We’ve had more than 20 years of devolution in the UK now and this is devolution in action, this is what it’s for.

“The devolved nations are flexing their muscles, deviating not just from England but from each other.”

From 4am on Saturday, passengers arriving in Scotland from Portugal and French Polynesia will have to self-isolate for 14 days.

Travellers have also been warned that Gibraltar is high up on the Scottish Government’s watch list.

Humza Yousaf has warned people to “think very hard” before embarking on non-essential journeys.

The Justice Secretary said: “The requirement for travellers to quarantine for 14 days on arrival from a non-exempt country is vital to help prevent transmission of the virus and to suppress it - not doing so poses a significant risk to wider public health across Scotland."