Calls for parity of lockdown rules for Christmas

The Liberal Democrats and Alliance Party of Northern Ireland have said that coronavirus restrictions should be the same across all four UK nations this Christmas.

Urging for a ‘four-nations summit’ to agree a shared plan, the parties argue that travel between the nations was inevitable during the festive season and anti-coronavirus policies should acknowledge this. Currently there are different restrictions in place across the UK, which, it is argued, could cause confusion when people move between the different nations during the holidays.

A letter - signed by Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey, as well as Scottish Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie, Welsh Lib Dem leader Jane Dodds and Alliance Party deputy leader Stephen Farry - says that ministers must ‘explore workable solutions that can enable travel to happen safely’.

As well as travel, the letter urges consensus on the return of students from university, uniform guidance on the number of people who can gather, and to explore how best to expand travel options to allow social distancing.