Politics latest news: Do 'minimum' of mixing at Christmas, says minister, as bubble 'remains under review'

Cat Neilan
Steve Barclay said the Government didn't want to 'criminalise' families for seeing each other - Getty
Steve Barclay said the Government didn't want to 'criminalise' families for seeing each other - Getty

People have been told to do the "minimum possible" mixing over Christmas, as a minister confirms that the festive window remains "under review". 

Steve Barclay, the chief secretary to the Treasury, rejected suggestions that the Christmas bubble - in which up to three households can socialise in a private home for five days - was effectively "Tier zero". 

He told Sky News: "There is a balance to be struck that many families have not seen each other all year. It is important for people's wellbeing, for their mental health. We don't want to criminalise people for coming together as family over Christmas.

"But, it is important that people do the minimum that is possible. So, people will be making their own judgments."

His comments come after London and parts of Essex and Hertfordshire were placed into Tier 3, with a new variant of coronavirus thought to be speeding up the rate of infection. Mr Barclay rejected suggestions the announcement of this new strain was "a new Project Fear" designed to scare people off making the most of their Christmas freedoms. 

 Wales' health minister Vaughan Gething yesterday indicated that they might scrap the Christmas bubble, which could up-end the four-nation agreement, saying: "If the virus continues to grow, then we'll need to make choices to keep people safe".

​Follow the latest updates below.

09:29 AM

Boris Johnson makes India first post-Brexit visit

Boris Johnson will travel to India in January, his first bilateral visit since taking office, to try to strengthen trade and investment ties and work together on tackling climate change following Brexit.

The Prime Minister is hoping to promote "Global Britain", hoping to boost ties with countries further afield and attracting new foreign investment to a country badly hurt by the Covid-19 pandemic.

"I am absolutely delighted to be visiting India next year at the start of an exciting year for Global Britain, and look forward to delivering the quantum leap in our bilateral relationship that Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi and I have pledged to achieve," Mr Johnson said in a statement.

"As a key player in the Indo-Pacific region, India is an increasingly indispensable partner for the United Kingdom as we work to boost jobs and growth, confront shared threats to our security and protect our planet."

Mr Johnson will attend India's annual Republic Day parade in New Delhi. 

09:27 AM

Parliamentary staff told not to come in

Staff, including those who work for MPs, at the Houses of Parliament have been told not attend the Estate, with London entering Tier 3 from tonight.

Despite "extensive measures" being put in place to protect those working on-site, the authorities have said limiting the numbers physically present remains one the key means for reducing the possible spread of Covid-19 on the Estate.  

In a statement, the Commission said: "Unfortunately, in line with the rest of London, we have seen an increase in cases on the Estate and now believe this is the time to take extra measures to keep everyone safe.  

"For the safety of all our staff, and to protect the business of the House, it is vital that we reduce our numbers immediately, and encourage colleagues to work remotely from tonight until after Christmas."

09:20 AM

Christmas window 'not mandatory', says Sadiq Khan

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said despite "fatigue" over regulations at Christmas, people should still be aware of coronavirus risks and the rules around it.

"It's really important that we continue to follow the rules whether we like them or not," he told Good Morning Britain.

Mr Khan said that relaxing restrictions during the festive period was not "mandatory" and suggested that people should wear face coverings whenever possible.

"You don't have to have three households mixing, you don't need to give your grandparents a hug and a kiss," he said

He added that he was doubtful that the Government would reverse decisions about relaxing rules because Boris Johnson "doesn't want to be the prime minister who cancels Christmas".

09:19 AM

Sadiq Khan: 'How would you feel if you infected an older relative at Christmas?'

London Mayor Sadiq Khan said Christmas will be "very different" this year and that people should be cautious when visiting relatives. "Many of us could have the virus without realising it," he told BBC Breakfast.

"What would be really heart-breaking is if you inadvertently passed on the virus to an older relation that could well lose their lives.

"How would you feel if you did that?"

Mr Khan pointed to other annual celebrations such as Eid and Chinese New Year which had been adapted or cancelled due to the pandemic.

"This Christmas will be very, very different. Follow the science," he said.

08:28 AM

Schools should stay open, despite rising rates among young people, minister says

Steve Barclay has insisted that it is right to keep schools open, despite rising rates among teenagers.

The chief secretary to the Treasury said the Government was "taking specific measures such as testing" within secondary schools to try and get on top of outbreaks. He also stressed that rates were rising among all age groups. 

As he paid tribute to the work done by teachers this year, he added: "It is important that schools stay open, first and foremost for children themselves."

He noted "the very real risk if schools are closed" to chidren's education as well as their mental health, saying: "The chief medical officer  has been clear in his advice, it is important for schools to remain open, not just for learning but their wider development."

08:21 AM

Sadiq Khan urges Government to reconsider Christmas window

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has called on the Government to look again at the easing of coronavirus restrictions over Christmas.

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "We heard from Matt Hancock yesterday that it appears the Government is looking at this again. I would encourage them to do so if they are.

"The concern is this - the rules have been relaxed for five days, allowing household mixing for up to three different households and inevitably when people are in their own households, they tend to be less vigilant.

"And my concern is that many people may have the virus and not realise it. They could pass the virus on to older relations."

Mayor Sadiq Khan - Reuters
Mayor Sadiq Khan - Reuters

08:21 AM

'Do the minimum, not the maximum', with your Christmas window, says minister

The Christmas window is in part a recognition that "January is often a very difficult month", Steve Barclay has said. 

He acknowledged it did carry a risk with it, "as there is with any social contact", which is why the Government advice was for social distancing and hand washing to continue. 

"Families can come together but as the CMO set out very clearly last night, the encouragement is for families to do the minimum, not the maximum."

08:18 AM

People should 'reduce contacts' before Christmas, says minister

Steve Barclay has suggested that people should "take measures, such as the week before [Christmas] to try and reduce contacts". 

The chief secretary to the Treasury said it was "about finding the right balance" that reflected not just the risks from Covid but also loneliness and mental health. 

"It is important in what has been a difficult year for people to come together," he told the Today programme. He stressed that people should not look to to "the maximum that rules require, but the minimum as a family."

He added that the Government would "trust the public to do what is right," as he emphasised it was "a very limited set of changes". 

08:15 AM

Boris Johnson 'batting for Britain' on Brexit, says minister

The EU needs to move in post-Brexit trade deal negotiations, chief secretary to the Treasury Steve Barclay has said.

The minister rejected comments made by senior Tory MP Sir Roger Gale, who yesterday said Boris Johnson should resign if he failed to get a deal, saying: "I respect Sir Roger hugely, but on his I do disagree with him."

Mr Barclay added "The discussions are ongoing. The fundamentals remain the same. It is in both sides' interest to have a deal. That is what the Prime Minister has committed to.

"The Prime Minister is batting for Britain. And whether there is a deal is not simply down to the actions of the Prime Minister, it needs the EU to move to respond to the precedent that they have given other countries," he told Sky News.

08:12 AM

Christmas window should not be 'misinterpreted', says minister

The Christmas window should not be "misinterpreted" as an opportunity to drop all social distancing measures, Steve Barclay has said. 

"It's not that the restrictions are being lifted in their entirety - we're not going from Tier 3 to some sort of tier zero," he told BBC Breakfast. The bubble allowed people to see each other "in a limited sense", he added. "It's not that all restrictions are being lifted."

The chief secretary to the Treasury added: "I won't see my parents over Christmas, but I will see my parents-in-law and those are the decisions many families will take.

"We've got to trust the British people to act responsibly and do the minimum that is possible for them in their family situation."

08:09 AM

Shoppers have a 'duty' to be responsible, says minister

Shoppers have a "duty" to act responsibly when buying Christmas presents and that businesses needed to ensure that compliant behaviour was observed in-store, Steve Barclay has said.

Asked about his own plans, the chief secretary to the Treasury said: "I will be doing Christmas shopping, I will try and do as much as possible of that locally in the constituency and some of it I'll do online."

It comes after pictures showed crowded high streets over the weekend. 

Shoppers on Regent Street, in central London, on Saturday - PA
Shoppers on Regent Street, in central London, on Saturday - PA

08:06 AM

Union boss attacks 'squalid' schools row between Government and Greenwich council

A union leader has attacked the battle between central Government and Greenwich council over whether schools should stay open to the end of term as "pretty squalid". 

Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders told BBC Breakfast: "Here we seem to have turf wars between the national and local government, and in the middle of it the people I represent - headteachers.

"I think we want to look back and think we did the right thing for our schools and college communities.

"Who is placed to decide what kind of online learning we can provide?

"How dare we treat our public servants who are trying to do their best in difficult circumstances to keep education going - how dare we have them treated like that."

08:03 AM

Christmas bubble 'not a Tier Zero' situation, says minister

Steve Barclay has insisted the easing of restrictions over Christmas was not effectively creating a "Tier Zero" situation.

The chief secretary to the Treasury told Sky News: "The position is not that we are scrapping the tiering system for five days - that we are letting people loose.

"What we are saying is, within the family three households can come together.

"That's the limit of the flexibility that is being offered.

"I think it's been mischaracterised as, almost, a Tier Zero, that we are scrapping restrictions in their entirety. That is not the case."

08:02 AM

Government will 'use whatever powers are necessary' to keep schools open

The Government is looking at all options regarding keeping schools open, chief secretary to the Treasury Steve Barclay has said.

Ministers are currently battling with Greenwich council over the leader's Sunday evening letter advising schools shut from this morning. The Department for Education last night threatened legal action to keep schools open. 

Speaking this morning the minister said: "We want to keep schools open and we will look at what measures are required to do so.

"It is important that schools stay open, of course, we will keep our options open in terms of the legal powers.

"We do think that it is important that schools stay open. That is the medical advice from the chief medical officer, and we will use whatever powers are necessary to do so."

07:46 AM

Brexit deal could be agreed this week, says Barnier

A Brexit trade deal could be agreed this week if Britain compromises over fishing rights, the European Union's chief negotiator said on Monday.

As talks continued in Brussels, Mr Barnier said the UK had moved towards the EU’s demands for level playing field guarantees in the trade agreement. 

Michel Barnier told EU ambassadors in a behind-closed-doors meeting that, for the first time, the UK had accepted a “rebalancing mechanism”, which means it could be hit by tariffs if it split too far from EU rules.

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