Ministers "won't hesitate" to change rules letting people outside Tier 4 form "Christmas bubbles" if required, a cabinet minister has told Sky News.
With just two days to go until Christmas Day, Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick said the relaxation of restrictions for all those not living under lockdown could be threatened if the mutated strain of coronavirus continues to push UK case numbers up.
"We're asking people outside of Tier 4 areas to exercise great care, only to come together with a small number of people and only for Christmas Day," he explained.
"If we need to change that in light of the new variant, then we won't hesitate to do so."
But later he clarified it was "very unlikely" the Christmas bubbles will be scrapped.
"There is absolutely no plan to do so. People should go about their Christmas as they were planning to do so," he told BBC Breakfast.
