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Boris Johnson is resisting demands to “cancel Christmas”, claiming it is too late to change plans to allow families to reunite during a five-day relaxation of COVID rules.
He will take on MPs in the Commons and then address conservative supporters and declare his opposition to abandoning plans for three households to meet on December 23-27.
But the prime minister is expected to urge people to isolate themselves before joining other households and the government is prepared to issue stricter guidance for the holiday period.
In addition to isolating before meeting, the new guide is expected to include a call to stay local where possible and think carefully before meeting older and clinically vulnerable people.
Johnson will face Labor leader Sir Keir Starmer at the PMQ, who has demanded an urgent Christmas review. COVID-19 rules and claims that the tier system has failed to control the virus.
But speaking later to the 1922 Conservative MPs Committee, the prime minister will try to reassure MPs who claim that a change in the rules at this stage would be met with widespread challenge.
The prime minister’s “carry on Christmas” message, defying pressure from doctors to end the five-day relaxation, came after Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove held talks with leaders of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
After the talks, a UK government source said: “There are no plans to change regulations in England. We are eager to maintain a UK-wide focus and will have further discussions with DAs (decentralized administrations) tomorrow morning. tomorrow”.
Later, commenting on England, a government source told The Daily Telegraph: “We have set the rules. People know what they are. It would be wrong to change them so close to Christmas when they have already made plans.”
But the source added: “However, the prime minister will want to make it clear that minimizing the risk to themselves and their loved ones is something they should consider.”
In their talks, Gove found little appetite for changing Christmas plans. Welsh Prime Minister Mark Drakeford described the four-nation approach as a “hard-won deal” and said he “would not dismiss it lightly”.
A spokeswoman for the Scottish government said: “The convocation of the four nations was a good opportunity to review the position at Christmas and discuss whether it is necessary to reinforce the message or the guidance.”
But before that, Prime Minister Nicola Sturgeon told the Scottish Parliament: “I think there are reasons for us to analyze whether we further tighten the flexibilities that were given, both in terms of duration and the number of people gathered.”
“And I will consider the opinions of the other nations; if we can reach a four-nation agreement, I think it would be preferable.”
“If that is not possible then of course we will consider within the Scottish government what we think is appropriate.”
A quick YouGov poll across the UK suggested that 57% of respondents believed that the relaxation of COVID rules during Christmas should be removed and only 31% said that the relaxation of the rules during the holiday period should continue.
In addition to reviewing the Christmas rules, the government is also reviewing the three-tier system in England, with some areas outside of London now at Tier 3, possibly moving from Tier 3 to Tier 2.
In the House of Commons Monday, Health Secretary Matt Hancock gave former Cabinet Labor Minister Hilary Benn a strong hint that Leeds might be about to move from Level 3 to Level 2.
Benn said that since the recent national shutdown began, the infection rate in Leeds had fallen from more than 400 cases per 100,000 to fewer than 140 and the number of COVID patients in the hospital has dropped by 45% in the last month.
Hancock responded: “You have made a normally wise intervention before the decision making on Wednesday regarding the broader level decisions for the rest of the country.”
Later at a press conference in Downing Street, Hancock hinted that Manchester, Newcastle, Tees Valley, Bristol and Nottingham may also have some hope of following Liverpool from Level 3 to Level 2 in review.
He said they had all shown the same pattern of strong local determination to reduce infections, as the Liverpool city region had done when they secured their move to the lower tier. “We can do this, but we have to do it together,” Hancock said.
