Search icon

Coronavirus

12th Dec 2021

MPs warned to be on standby for vote on new restrictions in Christmas week

Kieran Galpin

We could see more restrictions come Christmas week

MPs have reportedly been warned to be “on standby” to vote on new restrictions during Christmas week as Omicron cases skyrocket.

Plan C may be implemented before Christmas, and MPs have been asked to prepare for a Parliament recall on December 21.

“If you follow the science, we should really be doing Plan C now. The PM is gambling with the NHS to save his leadership,” a Health Department source told the Mirror.

“But we all know the PM can’t let anything hit Christmas. That really did him damage last time round. To do it again would be killer.”

The Prime Minister is allegedly looking to impose restrictions on New Year’s Day at the earliest in the hopes of delaying disruption.

Professor Stephen Reicher of St Andrews University said: “Omicron is coming at us like an express train. We must slow it down to buy time otherwise we will be in a crisis at Christmas.”

On Plan C, the PM’s official spokesperson said: “Obviously we need to keep the characteristics of this variant under review, and we would act if necessary, but there’s no plans to go beyond what we set out.”

However, the spokesperson did suggest that other options are always available.

“As a responsible government, of course, you would expect us to… we have an array, already, of options available to us in terms of what measures we can take to mitigate a growth of any variant or virus,” they said.

This news comes amid the growing scandal surrounding the PM and Christmas parties. With mass calls for his resignation and bustling over a leadership takeover, Johnson’s Christmas is looking to be particularly Grinch-worthy.

Related links: