Downing Street rejects calls to cancel Covid Christmas bubble plans

Boris Johnson has rejected calls to cancel the Christmas Covid bubbling plans despite scientists warning that the increased household mixing will “cost many lives“. But the messaging and guidance is changing, echoing the Prime Minister’s warning late last month to be “jolly careful”. The government is expected to tell people today to effectively isolate before they bubble with another household, to think carefully about meeting with elderly relatives at all and not to travel if possible. Keir Starmer called yesterday for an urgent review of the restrictions relaxation and told Johnson that “doing nothing is not really viable”. The Labour leader will have a chance to take a firmer position in PMQs this afternoon if he so chooses.

Robert Jenrick was on the telly this morning making sure the message from Downing Street is clear as mud. “Easter can be the new Christmas,” the government minister told viewers. But, it is fine to carry on as you were planning to anyway… But, but, but – it is also “incumbent on each and every family” to decide the best course of action. The government is derogating its duty and, once again, instead putting the onus on the public to ‘do the right thing’. You can be sure the subsequent spike will be put down to too many doing the wrong thing. “You can’t legislate for every eventuality,” Jenrick protested. True, but on the day 11 million people enter Tier 3 restrictions and most of the rest of the country remains in Tier 2 – under which households are banned from mixing indoors – people might be forgiven for thinking this is one eventuality for which ministers can legislate.

As London enters Tier 3 this morning, councils in the capital continue to grapple with dilemma of whether schools should be open this week. Following legal threats from the government after boroughs Greenwich and Islington advised schools to close slightly early ahead of the coming Christmas rules relaxation, two further councils have defied the government. Despite the DfE telling schools they must stay open, Redbridge Council has tweeted that it will “support our local schools if they choose to move to online learning” while Waltham Forest has shared a statement saying it has “recommended” they do the same. London has the worst rates of Covid in the country and prevalence is highest among secondary school-age children.

Downing Street announced yesterday the roll-out of mass testing in schools, with lateral flow test kits to be sent to schools, as DfE figures show that 60% of state-funded secondaries sent one or more pupils home last week, with an average of 24 pupils in state secondary schools isolating per confirmed Covid case. Labour welcomed the news, but pointed out it has been calling for this for weeks. Students and staff identified as having had close contact with a Covid case will be able to get a daily test over seven days from January, while teachers will get weekly tests. GMB has argued that school staff not medically trained should not be performing these tests. The trade union called the plan “dangerous” and highlighted that the chance of returning a false positive in a lateral flow test when performed by scientists is 20%, doubling to 42.5% when self administered.

Schools and testing will no doubt come up at PMQs this afternoon, while Covid Christmas rules should feature as we are now just seven days away from the rules relaxation. The Labour leader could also mention the “bumper bonus” 40% pay rise awarded to Dominic Cummings this year. He clearly ended up on the Prime Minister’s nice list despite breaking lockdown rules.