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| UK coronavirus: three households to be allowed to mix for up to five days over Christmas, UK leaders agree – as it happened | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Three households will be allowed to mix for up to five days in a plan to allow families to reunite at Christmas | |
| As many as three different households will be allowed to mix for five days over the Christmas period, government sources have said, under a UK-wide plan agreed on Friday between ministers and the devolved nations. | |
| The NHS should routinely test people for illnesses such as seasonal flu once the coronavirus pandemic has passed, Matt Hancock has said, adding that he wants to end the UK’s culture of “soldiering on” and going to work while ill, infecting others. | |
| The UK has recorded 608 further coronavirus deaths - the highest daily total since early May - although case numbers are continuing to fall, the latest government figures show. (See 4.35pm.) | |
| The government will be forced to rely on Labour support to pass new tiered coronavirus restrictions in England with about 70 MPs believed to be considering rebelling when the measures are put to parliament next week. | |
| The education secretary, Gavin Williamson, acted unlawfully in removing safeguards for children in care at the start of the Covid pandemic without consulting children’s rights organisations, the court of appeal has ruled. | |
| The travel industry has welcomed the change in quarantine rules that will allow passengers returning to the UK from high-risk countries to reduce the time they self-isolate to five days, if they can provide a negative Covid test result. | |
| Leftwing members of Labour’s governing body have staged a mass walkout in protest of the actions of the Labour leadership, including the election of a key ally of Keir Starmer as the body’s chair. | |
| That’s all from me for today. But our coverage continues on our global coronavirus live blog. It’s here. | |
| Exports of sausages into Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK could be blocked from next year as the EU is yet to agree to an exemption to its rules on chilled and fresh processed meat. | |
| A range of foods such as unfrozen mince or sausage meat produced outside the EU is considered so high risk to health that there is a de facto ban on them being imported into the single market. | |
| After 1 January, Northern Ireland will stay under single market legislation as the rest of the UK exits the EU’s legal order, creating a regulatory barrier within the UK. | |
| EU and UK officials are currently seeking to find a solution but Brussels currently has no provisions that would allow for an exemption from its rule book. | |
| Nick Allen of the British Meat Processors Association said: “The problem is that there is no export health certificate in existence to do these things.” | |
| Under a protocol in the withdrawal agreement designed to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland, the UK government agreed that Northern Ireland would in effect stay in the EU’s single market. The EU’s customs code will also be enforced between goods travelling from Britain to Northern Ireland. | |
| Speaking after a meeting of the four governments, the Welsh first minister, Mark Drakeford, said: | |
| Commenting on the new rules, Michael Gove, the Cabinet Office minister, said: | Commenting on the new rules, Michael Gove, the Cabinet Office minister, said: |
| Confirming the Christmas plans, Scotland’s first minister Nicola Sturgeon warned that there is a risk inherent in any relaxation of the restrictions and asked everyone to consider very carefully whether the opportunity to mix for a few days is necessary. She said: | |
| She was also clear that the relaxations did not extend to Hogmanay, which has historically been of greater social significance in Scotland. | |
| Earlier today Sturgeon warned MSPs that, while she expected the Christmas framework to be agreed later, there could be differences in what constituted a household in different parts of the UK. She told the Holyrood chamber: | |
| We have just had a No 10 briefing on the plans for Christmas. Here are the main points. | We have just had a No 10 briefing on the plans for Christmas. Here are the main points. |
| The UK government and the devolved administrations have agreed to relax the rules over Christmas. Michael Gove, the Cabinet Office minister, attended the meeting with Nicola Sturgeon, Mark Drakeford and Arlene Foster, the first ministers of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland respectively, and their deputies. | The UK government and the devolved administrations have agreed to relax the rules over Christmas. Michael Gove, the Cabinet Office minister, attended the meeting with Nicola Sturgeon, Mark Drakeford and Arlene Foster, the first ministers of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland respectively, and their deputies. |
| Up to three households will be able to form a “Christmas bubble” from 23 to 27 December. There is no maximum size for a bubble. | Up to three households will be able to form a “Christmas bubble” from 23 to 27 December. There is no maximum size for a bubble. |
| Individuals will be able to travel between tiers and across the UK during that period. | Individuals will be able to travel between tiers and across the UK during that period. |
| People will be able to travel to and from Northern Ireland for an extra day either side of that period, to allow for the extra travel time. | People will be able to travel to and from Northern Ireland for an extra day either side of that period, to allow for the extra travel time. |
| The bubbles have to be exclusive; they cannot change. They can meet in homes, in public spaces or in places of worship. But people cannot meet in their bubbles in pubs or restaurants. | The bubbles have to be exclusive; they cannot change. They can meet in homes, in public spaces or in places of worship. But people cannot meet in their bubbles in pubs or restaurants. |
| People can meet people outside their bubbles outside their homes - but only in accordance with the local rules. | People can meet people outside their bubbles outside their homes - but only in accordance with the local rules. |
| A support bubble will count as one household when “Christmas bubbles” are being formed. | A support bubble will count as one household when “Christmas bubbles” are being formed. |
| Children whose parents are separated will be able to move between two “Christmas bubbles”. | Children whose parents are separated will be able to move between two “Christmas bubbles”. |
| In England a group of, say, four young people living together would all be allowed to return home to their four separate families for Christmas without that disrupting the three-households-only rule. | In England a group of, say, four young people living together would all be allowed to return home to their four separate families for Christmas without that disrupting the three-households-only rule. |
| No 10 views this as a “proportionate” solution that will allow families to meet up to an extent - while limiting the risk of the virus spreading. | No 10 views this as a “proportionate” solution that will allow families to meet up to an extent - while limiting the risk of the virus spreading. |
| All four chief medical officers have worked on this plan. They view it as striking a balance between allowing some contact and minimising the risk. | All four chief medical officers have worked on this plan. They view it as striking a balance between allowing some contact and minimising the risk. |
| The four UK governments have put out a joint statement about the decision to relax restrictions for Christmas. Here is the full text (from the Welsh government’s press release.) | The four UK governments have put out a joint statement about the decision to relax restrictions for Christmas. Here is the full text (from the Welsh government’s press release.) |
| As many as three different households will be allowed to mix for five days over the Christmas period, government sources have said, under a UK-wide plan agreed on Friday between ministers and the devolved nations, my colleagues Peter Walker and Jessica Elgot report. | As many as three different households will be allowed to mix for five days over the Christmas period, government sources have said, under a UK-wide plan agreed on Friday between ministers and the devolved nations, my colleagues Peter Walker and Jessica Elgot report. |
| This is from PA Media. | This is from PA Media. |
| From my colleague Jessica Elgot | From my colleague Jessica Elgot |
| In Northern Ireland just 79 further coronavirus cases have been recorded. But that may be because of a problem with the data, the local Department of Health says. A week ago today the figure was 549. | In Northern Ireland just 79 further coronavirus cases have been recorded. But that may be because of a problem with the data, the local Department of Health says. A week ago today the figure was 549. |
| And 11 further deaths have been recorded - up from nine a week ago today. | And 11 further deaths have been recorded - up from nine a week ago today. |
| Public Health Wales has recorded 595 further coronavirus cases. That is down from 892 yesterday and down from 705 a week ago today. | Public Health Wales has recorded 595 further coronavirus cases. That is down from 892 yesterday and down from 705 a week ago today. |
| And it has recorded 21 further deaths - down from 34 a week ago today. | And it has recorded 21 further deaths - down from 34 a week ago today. |
| Tomorrow Rishi Sunak will deliver the his spending review. The Treasury has posted various pictures of him rehearsing his speech on Flickr. | Tomorrow Rishi Sunak will deliver the his spending review. The Treasury has posted various pictures of him rehearsing his speech on Flickr. |
| The UK government has updated its coronavirus dashboard. Here are the key figures. | The UK government has updated its coronavirus dashboard. Here are the key figures. |
| The UK has recorded 11,299 new coronavirus cases - the lowest daily total for more than seven weeks. Yesterday the figure was 15,450 and a week ago today the figure was 20,051. Daily figures can fluctuate widely, because they are dependent on how much testing is being carried out, and today’s fall is probably partly explained by the fact that the number of tests being carried out fell significantly over the weekend and on Monday. But today’s figure is also in line with a trend showing the number of positive cases falling sharply since mid-November. There have been 128,062 positive cases in the past seven days - down 28% on the total for the previous week. | The UK has recorded 11,299 new coronavirus cases - the lowest daily total for more than seven weeks. Yesterday the figure was 15,450 and a week ago today the figure was 20,051. Daily figures can fluctuate widely, because they are dependent on how much testing is being carried out, and today’s fall is probably partly explained by the fact that the number of tests being carried out fell significantly over the weekend and on Monday. But today’s figure is also in line with a trend showing the number of positive cases falling sharply since mid-November. There have been 128,062 positive cases in the past seven days - down 28% on the total for the previous week. |
| The UK has recorded 608 further coronavirus deaths - the highest daily figure since early May. These are people who have died within 28 days of testing positive for coronavirus. This is the highest daily death total in this wave of the pandemic, and the first time daily deaths have passed 600. A week ago today the equivalent figure was 598, and two weeks ago it was 532. The daily figure has not been this high since 12 May. | The UK has recorded 608 further coronavirus deaths - the highest daily figure since early May. These are people who have died within 28 days of testing positive for coronavirus. This is the highest daily death total in this wave of the pandemic, and the first time daily deaths have passed 600. A week ago today the equivalent figure was 598, and two weeks ago it was 532. The daily figure has not been this high since 12 May. |
| The Cobra meeting to discuss a joint, four-nations approach to easing the Covid restrictions at Christmas, was scheduled to start at 4pm, so it should just be getting under way now. Michael Gove, the Cabinet Office minister, is chairing it. | The Cobra meeting to discuss a joint, four-nations approach to easing the Covid restrictions at Christmas, was scheduled to start at 4pm, so it should just be getting under way now. Michael Gove, the Cabinet Office minister, is chairing it. |
| A salon owner in West Yorkshire faces £17,000 in fines for repeatedly opening during the national lockdown. | A salon owner in West Yorkshire faces £17,000 in fines for repeatedly opening during the national lockdown. |
| Sinead Quinn was found working at Quinn Blakey Hairdressers by Kirklees council officers yesterday and issued a £10,000 fine. She was previously issued fines of £4,000, £2,000 and £1,000 for breaches of the Covid-19 lockdown rules. | Sinead Quinn was found working at Quinn Blakey Hairdressers by Kirklees council officers yesterday and issued a £10,000 fine. She was previously issued fines of £4,000, £2,000 and £1,000 for breaches of the Covid-19 lockdown rules. |
| Footage posted to the salon’s Instagram account by Quinn shows her talking to council and police officers, saying she did “not consent” to the fines and that she was able to open her salon under common law. | Footage posted to the salon’s Instagram account by Quinn shows her talking to council and police officers, saying she did “not consent” to the fines and that she was able to open her salon under common law. |
| One video also shows both Quinn, and a client having her hair done, while not wearing face coverings. | One video also shows both Quinn, and a client having her hair done, while not wearing face coverings. |
| A laminated poster displayed on the salon’s door, which references Magna Carta, says the shop is “under jurisdiction of the common law”. | A laminated poster displayed on the salon’s door, which references Magna Carta, says the shop is “under jurisdiction of the common law”. |
| Under England’s current national lockdown restrictions, non-essential shops including hairdressers must close. | Under England’s current national lockdown restrictions, non-essential shops including hairdressers must close. |
| Following the salon’s first breach more than two weeks ago, when Quinn was issued a prohibition notice to close by the council as well as an initial fixed penalty notice of £1,000, Kirklees councillor Rob Walker described her actions as “selfish and irresponsible”. | Following the salon’s first breach more than two weeks ago, when Quinn was issued a prohibition notice to close by the council as well as an initial fixed penalty notice of £1,000, Kirklees councillor Rob Walker described her actions as “selfish and irresponsible”. |
| West Yorkshire police have said the matter is to be dealt with by the council. | West Yorkshire police have said the matter is to be dealt with by the council. |
| According to a poll for Ipsos MORI, only 50% of people think the lockdown in England will be “effective” in “significantly” reducing the spread of coronavirus. Some 41% think it will be “ineffective”. | According to a poll for Ipsos MORI, only 50% of people think the lockdown in England will be “effective” in “significantly” reducing the spread of coronavirus. Some 41% think it will be “ineffective”. |
| Who’s right? Well, it probably depends on how you define “effective” and “significantly”. | Who’s right? Well, it probably depends on how you define “effective” and “significantly”. |
| The 50% can point to the fact that Covid case rates are now falling in most regions in England, in some cases quite dramatically. But the 41% can point to the fact that, even though hospital admissions are stabilising or starting to fall too, the overall threat is still high enough to require the government to replace lockdown with a new three-tier system even stricter than the one in place before. | The 50% can point to the fact that Covid case rates are now falling in most regions in England, in some cases quite dramatically. But the 41% can point to the fact that, even though hospital admissions are stabilising or starting to fall too, the overall threat is still high enough to require the government to replace lockdown with a new three-tier system even stricter than the one in place before. |