Third national lockdown may be needed after Christmas, Boris Johnson hints

PM fails to rule out the drastic action when questioned by reporters

A third national lockdown might be needed after Christmas, Boris Johnson has hinted, referring to the rates of infection having increased “very much” in the last few weeks.

The prime minister’s remarks came just days before the government presses ahead with its plan to ease household mixing restrictions between 23 and 27 December.

In response to a resurgence of Covid-19, Northern Ireland and Wales have already announced strict lockdowns to come into force immediately after the festive period, on 28 December.

Asked whether England might follow the decision of the devolved administration, Mr Johnson, who has previously described a national lockdown as the “nuclear” option, failed to rule out the prospect.

Speaking during a visit to Greater Manchester, the prime minister told reporters: “We’re hoping very much that we’ll be able to avoid anything like that. But the reality is that the rates of infection have increased very much in the last few weeks.”

Mr Johnson added: “So what we're saying to people now over this Christmas period is, you know, think of those rules about the three households that you can bubble up with for the five days, that is very much a maximum. That's not a target.

“I think people really get this, all the things I'm seeing, all the evidence I’m seeing, people really do understand this is the time to look after our elderly relatives. Avoid spreading the disease.

“Keep it short, keep it small, have yourself a merry little Christmas, as I said the other night. That is, I'm afraid the way through this year. Next year, I've no doubt as we roll out the vaccine and all the other things that we are doing, it will be very very different indeed.”

According to the latest government figures published on Thursday, a further 532 people died with 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19 and as of 9am there were an additional 35,383 confirmed cases – prompting widespread concern.

Earlier, the schools minister Nick Gibb also declined to a rule out a third national lockdown as a member of the government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) wanted tighter restrictions would be needed after the Christmas period.

Professor John Edmunds, an epidemiologist at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine,  told Sky News the government’s tiered system designed to suppress the virus was “unfortunately” failing to hold back the wave of the epidemic.

“So I think we are going to have to look at these measures and perhaps tighten them up, we really will. It’s a horrible thing to have to say but we are in quite a difficult position.”

 Sir Keir Starmer also urged the prime minister to set out his plan for averting a third national lockdown in England, saying on Friday: "Nobody wants a third lockdown. It’s hugely damaging on health grounds and also for the economy.

“We can see that the tiered system is not working in the way the prime minister promised. More people are going into the higher tiers, so it’s not strong enough. Whether the prime minister rules it out or not is not the central question.

“I think the central question, prime minister, is what are you doing now to prevent the chances of a third lockdown?”

Dame Donna Kinnair, chief executive and general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing, said nurses would not enjoy Christmas "knowing what awaits them in January", amid fears of what she predicted could be an "unrelenting tsunami" of cases following relaxed restrictions.

She said ministers should give "fresh and more detailed" advice to the public with a week to go until Christmas.