Boris Johnson is poised to announce up to a week of relaxed COVID-19 restrictions at Christmas – but tough rules will remain in force in England after the national lockdown ends on 2 December.
It’s understood the aim – subject to agreement from the governments of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland – is for a UK-wide softening of rules so that several households can join in one “bubble”.
That system will reportedly be in force from 22 to 28 December.
The objective was confirmed in a statement by Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove following talks with leaders in the devolved administrations, which said they have all “endorsed a shared objective” of changing the rules “for a small number of days” over Christmas to allow “additional household bubbling”.
