The idea of a ‘digital Christmas’ leaves me cold

The ridiculous notion from Scotland’s national clinical director will likely have been received like a cup of cold sick by many, writes Janet Street-Porter

People in Scotland have been told to prepare for the possibility of a digital Christmas (Getty)

Plans for Christmas are going to be complicated if you live north of the border.

The Scottish government’s national clinical director, Jason Leitch, isn’t a man who minces his words, and he upstaged the first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, by declaring: “Christmas is not going to be normal … there’s no question about that … there’s not going to be multiple families coming round ... people should get their digital Christmas ready.”

Sturgeon has now announced a new five-level (England has three, Wales just one) system of coronavirus restrictions to be applied throughout the country, depending on levels of infections. Level zero allows eight people from three different households to meet indoors, level 1 allows eight people from two households to meet indoors, while level 2 doesn’t allow any.