Michael Gove plans to relax with Rioja on holiday to wildfire-hit Greek island

25 July 2023 , 11:24

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Tory Cabinet Minister Michael Gove said he wasn't worried about his Greek holiday (Image: Sky News)

Michael Gove is planning a summer holiday to a Greek island hit by wildfires as he said the travel advice remains that the region is safe for tourists.

The Tory Cabinet Minister said he was jetting off to Evia - an island off the eastern coast of Athens - in "just over a week's time". Wildfires have raged in the region in recent days, with up to 10,000 British holidaymakers believed to be caught up in the chaos on the popular Greek island of Rhodes.

Firefighters have battled blazes on Corfu and southern parts of Evia in recent days, with some areas being evacuated. Holiday operators continue to cancel flights and holidays, meaning thousands could be at risk of having their getaway plans scuppered.

Local residents try to extinguish a fire, near the seaside resort of Lindos, on the island of Rhodes (AP)

But Mr Gove insisted he wasn't worried about his summer getaway. He told Sky News: "I’m due to go on holiday, God willing, to Greece in just over a week’s time, not to Rhodes but to another island and I’m looking forward to going.”

Asked if he was worried, Mr Gove said: "Naturally I want to make sure that as a Government that we do everything possible to support Greece and indeed our tourists there. But no, I'm not."

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The Levelling Up Secretary said he planned to fill his time "swimming, reading, cooking" as well as drinking "Retsina and then Rioja" wine. He said it was "absolutely right" that people were still able to go on holiday to Greece and said the Foreign Office advice remained that it is safe to travel to the area.

Mr Gove said: "I think it's the case that obviously the fires on Rhodes have been tragic, and my heart goes out to those affected. But it is also the case, I think, as the Greek minister for tourism was pointing out yesterday, that the fires - while horrific - have been restricted to one part of the island.

"So, again, appropriate advice has been followed, it's been put forward by the Foreign Office here that it is safe to go to Rhodes - but obviously evacuation in a particular part of the island has been important."

Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis has said “we are at war” and “completely focused on the fires” as wildfires continue to burn down parts of Rhodes. “Over the coming days and weeks, we must remain on constant alert,” he said during a debate in Parliament.

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Lizzy Buchan