In a move that will no doubt irritate much of the media, the Government is advising people – rather than mandating them – to use common sense over Christmas. The SAGE reasoning behind the Christmas relaxation has been that without some relaxation people would break the rules in a less limited way. Now the Government has begun a ‘be careful’ media blitz, with Chief Secretary to the Treasury Steve Barclay this morning advising Today Programme listeners to “try and minimise their contacts” in the week before Christmas. Yet still sticking to the four nation, five day relaxation. For now…

Barclay also advised that when families gather they do so “in a way that isn’t the maximum of what the rules require but the minimum that they as a family need to do.” Perhaps a difficult message when the Transport Secretary is busy boasting about using millions in taxpayers’ money to provide 80,000 more seats on poorly ventilated coach services to spread the virus get people home for Christmas…