Prime Minister to hold press conference at 16.00

The appearance of the new strain is a get out of jail free card for Boris when the science always said no to Christmas gatherings. He doesn't follow the science.
I would have liked to see one of the well paid advisors to have resigned over their advice not been taken many times this year. Instead they stand their with him.

Knowing the situation, shouldn't people use their own brains. We don't need telling.
Boris did say that we could have 5 days of Christmas but just because we could, didn't mean we had to.
Mad panic now for Londer's and surroundong areas to get out of tier 4 areas. Is Boris to be blamed for that too?
Selfish people are to be blamed.

All the devolved Governments were pretty much singing the same tune about Christmas and yet all we see on here is Boris getting the blame. It is difficult for all leaders. Keir Starmer criticises the Government but will never say what Labour would do in the same circumstances. Surely, after nearly a year of this, there should be cross party committee who make the decisions about all these things. However, even if they were all put in the melting pot, they would all have the same problem: Selfish people.
Personally, I feel relief that common sense has prevailed even though it affects my sister's fledgling business, it means several members of our family will face a more solitary life again and it all seems a bit bleak.

billericaylady

Damned if they do damned if they dont...

Well said. I agree

That’s exactly what my mum said to me this morning

I don’t exactly feel sorry for Boris, but without the benefit of hindsight, even the scientists couldn’t agree how best to approach this in March. If they tighten restrictions they are criticised, but if they don’t they still get criticised.

I agree they made the Christmas announcement far too early, I thought so at the time, but I’m more annoyed with all those people cramming themselves on to trains, to “beat” the new Tier 4 rules. When they’ve spread the virus all over the country there’s going to be another load of people saying he shouldn’t have tightened the rules as it hasn’t worked

Why not have one big lockdown across all nations within the Uk ,
One of Boris`s buffoon's Matt "Tony " Hancock as stated on Andrew Marr it could go on for months , if they know this why not think long term , work with other parties , Like Keith Starmer as said 11th hour decisions, Maybe if we all take a paracetamol or two it might cure it.
Mick

This gov't has handled it really badly, they don't follow scientific advice because they have the companies who have donated millions to them - and it is millions - telling they want their businesses & shops open because that is the source of their income. Johnson over promises & under delivers cos they hope no-one will notice. Tories always put business 1st, not people

I would not trust Boris U-Turn Johnson to run a welk stall and that’s no disrespect to welk-stall owners.

Had there been no loosening of the restrictions for Christmas there would have been mass protests, didn't some MPs utter their discontent at even the tier system being too strict. Now the moaners are saying stricter action should have been taken and sooner. The new strain of Covid isn't anymore devastating than Covid 19 but it has found a way to transmit more easily. Why the south east, just look at the size of the population, the travelling to and fro in the area, both UK based and abroad. Viruses do seek to find ways to spread and this one isn't any different from most others. Some will think that as there is a vaccine all will be well once that has been given. In reality it will be months after the programme is finished before an assessment can be completed to see if it has worked. Masks, hand cleansing will go on for months afterwards. We a have to realise this virus is in the lead we are chasing it's tail.

Boris does try to cheer us up. Looking for a light at the end of this Covid tunnel.

But viruses mutate and our responses need to reflect that.

I agree with Keir Starmer this morning when he said ‘The Prime Minister over promises and under delivers’.

That said it was an own goal really by Boris. With hindsight (not Captain of course!) he ought, as others have said on here, to have erred on the side of caution by saying ‘we are hoping to .... but will need to update on this nearer Christmas so please be mindful that it may well not be 5 days’.

The worst government to have at the worst time in our recent history. What a disaster it all is

So very true

Can't believe people are feeling sorry for Johnson. I don't feel sorry for Johnson on any level. We had forewarning of this virus from other countries and we were told we were fully prepared for it when we clearly were not. We should have sealed off the UK - easy for an island.
Johnson encouraged Covid rule breaking by supporting Cummings. That had devastating consequences and made it impossible to police.
The majority of workers commute in and out of London so it was inevitable the virus would grow and spread to Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire etc - most people couldn't understand why London wasn't in a higher tier to begin with.

To all those who are saying that the government is not to blame for the scope of the pandemic in the UK; and that any government would have struggled I say this:

Yes, it would have been a struggle for any government to deal with, but this government delayed and delayed before taking action and left millions more vulnerable to illness or death. Their unwillingness to act decisively over and over again has cost many lives, and destroyed faith on their competence, thus undermining people's willingness to abide by the rules. And, even in pandemic conditions, their political principle of private sector jobs for their boys has held sway.

The worst government to have at the worst time in our recent history. What a disaster it all is.

I’m astonished people believe everything the government tells them. With a 98.85% survival rate surely it’s right to allow people to live normally whilst protecting and providing for the vulnerable.

Luckygirl

Oh goodee! - more from the great leader.

All he has to do - and it is beyond simple - is to follow the scientific and medical guidance.

Agreed. That what Wuhan, where this originated from, has done and they haven't had any new cases since May.

I agree with hurdygurdy

Try America. ?

Well we’re now tier 4 in Hertfordshire so in lockdown again, it seems people are taking it seriously this time , no cars on the roads, less fumes to inhale, and no one out walking at the moment.. We have been isolating since March due to health and age .. except when I spent a day in hospital having an operation to have my toes pinned , plated and screwed straight due to arthritis, and a later appointment to have plaster casts taken off . I’m hoping we’ll survive the winter months and staying cosy at home is fine for us , doing things around the house like decorating and making curtains that we could put off till Spring but it will keep us occupied .. Our shopping deliveries arrive weekly and our neighbours are wonderful at texting to see if we need anything .
We do watch a film every afternoon, something light and not too serious , we break halfway for coffee and cake ( I bake a cake weekly and we make it last !! ) . We are lucky I suppose that we like each other’s company but we do our own thing as well , MrNick and his Hifi also his garden, he’s sorting out plug plants for Spring already ! , my sewing , jigsaws, crosswords and sudoku keep the brain ticking over.. all in all we’ve managed well and as I think this Covid isn’t going away any time soon we’ll stay safe and carry on !

Not two weeks ago I watched Grant Shapps announcing travel plans for over Christmas, how they would stop motorway works, not do railway maintenance and put on more trains so people could travel at Christmas. I thought it was mad then and so it has proved. Anyone who is blaming the public for this spreading should ask who sets the standard, who creates the atmosphere? It is this government who by their complete lack of any sort of pre-planning have lurched from one idiotic idea to another. Any wonder then that people have very much only heard the things they want to hear and have acted accordingly. Someone should have told the PM "Hope for the best but plan for the worst" Instead they have existed by creating false hopes and then dong a complete reversal. It's created confusion and disbelief and the public have behaved accordingly.

It also struck me that having hope, for many, can help them abide by rules and so maybe the hope that people had prevented some transmission (although in the scheme of things probably not enough to make a huge difference). I was relieved cancellations have to be made for Christmas because there are probably many who felt pressured into attending or having family this year when they would rather not.

Well said Hurdy Gurdy. It doesn't matter which political party was is no.10, the same moans and groans would still surface. I would love to hear what these people would have done , FROM THE START any different that Covid would have magically disappeared by now . There will always be people that think they know better unfortunately, and until this Country pulls together for once I'm afraid we're in for a long haul.

It was plain to see it was going to happen with people going into London after restrictions lifted then coming out of the city to there homes in South east that’s how it’s spread into surrounding areas.Should of done this weeks ago. He’s trying to please everyone and it’s clear it’s not possible. We only have one life but hopefully many Christmas’s ahead. Take care x

Damned if they do damned if they dont...

Thought it was inevitable, doesn't particularly affect me. Lest's face it, it would be criminal to get Covid now with the vaccine round the corner??