Coronavirus LIVE: Christmas Bubbles reduced as London, Scotland and Wales put in Tier 4

19 December 2020, 14:41 | Updated: 20 December 2020, 06:34

People in London, South East and East of England will be told to 'Stay at home' from midnight.
People in London, South East and East of England will be told to 'Stay at home' from midnight. Picture: PA

By Joe Cook

Boris Johnson has reduced Christmas Bubbles to just one day across all of England, and banned them completely in London in the South East as tough new measures have been announced.

The Prime Minister said the new restrictions would be more similar to the restrictions seen in the Spring, and the measures will come into force from midnight TONIGHT.

The entirety of Wales will enter the same restrictions from tonight, while Scotland will enter a Level 4 lockdown for three weeks from Boxing Day.

Mr Johnson added the Government was becoming increasingly alarmed over the discovery of a new variant of coronavirus, which can be spread more quickly.

Speaking on Saturday during the Downing Street press conference, the PM said the new variant was "passed on significantly more easily", and could be up to 70% more transmissible.

Read more: London and SE plunged into Tier 4 Covid rules and told to stay home over Christmas

Read more: 'Christmas bubbles' only allowed on Christmas Day, Boris Johnson says

Read more: Anti-lockdown protests: London police intervene as "significant numbers" gather

Follow the Prime Minister's Press conference LIVE below.

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