James O'Brien outlines PM's logic of relaxing Christmas Covid rules
23 November 2020, 11:38
James O'Brien outlines PM's logic of relaxing Christmas Covid rules
James O'Brien attempts to outline why the PM is expected to relax Covid restrictions at Christmas despite it being "something that nobody's really asking for."
Boris Johnson is set to deliver a statement today about England's route out of lockdown via a strengthened three-tier system.
The prime minister will speak in the House of Commons at around 3:30pm and will later give a televised address to the nation where he is expected to explain how the Covid measures will be relaxed in time for Christmas for "limited socialising".
Several households, most likely three, will be able to bubble temporarily for the festive season before returning to the Tiered system.
"My sense is the Government is going to deliver something that nobody's really asking for, or at least a specific percentage of us don't want," James said, reflecting that having taken calls he may now understand this move.
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"People are going to see their families at Christmas whether they are allowed to or not...Boris Johnson cannot send the Old Bill around to kick in doors and drag people while they're still munching their turkey dinners out the house for gathering in too big a group."
"The reality that Boris Johnson is addressing is this: a huge majority of the country do not want to sacrifice their January, or God forbid their life or their health, in order to spend Christmas with their loved ones.
"They'd love to spend Christmas with their loved ones, but they've done a cost analysis and they've come down on the side of safety," said James.
For others, he continued, who intend to have a normal Christmas regardless of the rules, Boris Johnson has satisfied their desires by relaxing restrictions while hoping that most people will not take advantage of it.
