BRITAIN could ease stringent Covid-19 rules to allow families to gather for Christmas as signs indicate that coronavirus cases are starting to flatten as a result of current lockdowns, health secretary Matt Hancock said on Friday(20).
The UK has the worst official Covid-19 death toll in Europe and prime minister Boris Johnson has imposed some of the most stringent curbs in peacetime history in an attempt to halt the spread of the coronavirus.
But heading into the holiday season, the government faces a dilemma - to ease restrictions, with the risk of renewed spread of the disease and death, or to ban large get-togethers.
"It of course won't be like a normal Christmas, there will have to be rules in place," Hancock told Sky News.
He said he hoped that restrictions, which include a strict lockdown in England, could be eased to "allow for a bit more of that normal Christmas that people really look forward to".
Hancock said he was working with the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland - which manage their own policies on combating the pandemic - for a UK-wide approach to rules for Christmas.
The head of London's Metropolitan Police, Cressida Dick, said that while police might try to stop wild parties, there were better uses of police time than trying to catch families out.
"Let's see what the rules are, but I have no interest in interrupting family Christmas dinners," she told LBC radio.
There was some sign that infection numbers were flattening. The Office for National Statistics said incidence had levelled off in recent weeks, with daily infections increasing by 38,900 in England in the latest week, down from around 50,000 previously.
The government also reduced their estimate of the reproduction "R" number, and said the daily growth rate had fallen to between 0 per cent and 2 per cent.
England has been under lockdown for two weeks. It is due to end on December 2, although ministers have not ruled out that it could be extended.
Scotland's biggest city Glasgow and parts of the nation's west and central regions begin a stricter lockdown regime on Friday to last until December 11, including the closure of pubs and restaurants and non-essential shops.
Clifford had previously denied killing Carol Hunt, 61, the wife of horseracing commentator John Hunt, and their daughters, Louise Hunt, 25, and Hannah Hunt, 28. (Photo: Hertfordshire Police /Handout via REUTERS)
Man pleads guilty to crossbow murders of BBC presenter’s family
A 26-YEAR-OLD man on Wednesday pleaded guilty to murdering two daughters of a BBC sports commentator and stabbing to death their mother in a crossbow attack.
Kyle Clifford had previously denied killing Carol Hunt, 61, the wife of horseracing commentator John Hunt, and their daughters, Louise Hunt, 25, and Hannah Hunt, 28.
However, appearing via video link at Cambridge Crown Court in eastern England, Clifford changed his pleas.
The court heard that Clifford tied up Louise Hunt, his former partner, binding her arms and ankles with duct tape before shooting her in the chest with a crossbow at the family home last July.
He pleaded guilty to three counts of murder, one count of false imprisonment, and two counts of possessing offensive weapons. However, Clifford denied raping Louise.
The murders took place at the family home in the commuter town of Bushey, near Watford, northwest of London.
Clifford was arrested in July following a manhunt after the bodies of the three women were discovered.
(With inputs from AFP)