'Too early to say' how Covid lockdowns could affect Christmas, minister tells LBC

28 October 2020, 08:53 | Updated: 28 October 2020, 09:03

George Eustice on Christmas and Diwali

By Fiona Jones

Environment Secretary George Eustice told LBC that it is "too early to say" which coronavirus restrictions could be in place at Christmas as he refused to rule out a second national lockdown.

LBC's Nick Ferrari asked the minister whether he agreed that the police should break up Christmas and Diwali parties this winter as an ever-growing number of areas are moved into Tier Three lockdown, which prevents household mixing.

Nottingham and Warrington are the latest regions to be placed under 'very high' alert, meaning around eight million people face living under the toughest restrictions by the end of the week.

Read more: Staffordshire becomes latest area to be put under Tier 2 restrictions

Mr Eustice told LBC: "We want people to be able to live and have Christmas as close as possible to normal. It's a really important family time.

"The Prime Minister has said he wants us to be able to enjoy Christmas and for families to be able to come together.

George Eustice does not rule out national lockdown

"It's too early to say though what restrictions will be in place by Christmas and obviously if we do need to have restrictions in place and prevent families from coming together in large gatherings, if that's necessary to control the virus, then that's what we'll have to do."

Nick pushed the minister to clarify that if it was necessary he would support it.

Mr Eustice responded: "If necessary we would have to put regulations in place, yes, but we want to make sure that people can enjoy Christmas and come together as families still. But it may not be in quite the large gatherings that some people would normally experience."

The Environment Secretary also refused to rule out a national lockdown, telling Nick Ferrari that the Government "don't rule anything out" as it prepares to tackle the pandemic over the winter months.

Mr Eustice told LBC there is a "very high probability of a second wave" and acknowledged there has been a rise in incidents, "particularly in the north west."

Nick put it to the minister that the three tier lockdown system "isn't working", citing Leicester which has been in lockdown "for months", telling Mr Eustice that "clearly these tiers are ending in tiers."

Mr Eustice, while he said he "doesn't think" the answer to the crisis is a full national lockdown, the R rate in England is currently 1.4, "higher than we would like."

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

Oleksandr Zinchenko of Arsenal arrives at Molinuex

Millionaire Premier League star earning £150k a week loses HMRC court battle over hundreds of thousands in unpaid tax

Actress Kim Sae-ron attends 2017 Mnet Asian Music Awards at Asia World-Expo on December 1, 2017 in Hong Kong, Hong Kong.

South Korean ‘Bloodhounds’ and ‘The Man from Nowhere’ star Kim Sae-ron found dead at 24

Emergency services were called just after 7pm on Friday amid reports a woman had suffered serious injuries

'Screaming, shouting, crying': Landlady breaks silence after woman shot dead at village pub - as manhunt continues

Exclusive
Jonathan Reynolds told LBC’s Iain Dale that NATO is ‘a highly effective integrated defensive structure’, and that US requests for higher European spending on the alliance are ‘not unreasonable’.

Europe must ‘work closely’ with US to face Russia, Business Sec tells LBC ahead of emergency Ukraine summit

.T. Miller #10 of Team USA and Colton Parayko #55 of Team Canada fight during the first period in the 4 Nations Face-Off game at the Bell Centre on February 15, 2025

Gloves off: Three fights in first nine seconds as USA beat Canada to reach 4 Nations ice hockey final

Exclusive
Europe must boost defence spending if it wants peace, Ukraine's former PM has told LBC.

‘If you want peace, pay for it', says ex-Ukrainian PM as Starmer to 'overrule' Reeves and boost defence spending

Lucy Letby was ‘shocked and distressed’ during the investigation into the deaths of babies that she was later found guilty of murdering, and ‘deserves an Oscar’ if she was lying, her former boss said.

Lucy Letby was 'innocent', distressed and ‘deserves an Oscar if she was acting’ says former boss

Jockey Michael O'Sullivan at Ascot Racecourse. Picture date: Friday November 22, 2024.

Cheltenham-winning jockey Michael O'Sullivan dies aged just 24 after fall in race

Prime Minister Keir Starmer Meets With Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves At Downing Street

Starmer to 'overrule' Reeves and call for increased defence spending ahead of meeting with Donald Trump

images shared on social media show police arresting a man following the attack.

'Laughing' Syrian asylum seeker who stabbed boy, 14, to death was motivated by 'Islamic terrorism'

Axel Rudakubana has been jailed for 52 years.

FBI joins investigation into Southport killer amid claims he wiped internet search history

Heavy Rush In Trains For Last Amrit Snan On Prayagraj Kumbh

At least 15 dead in train station stampede in New Delhi

Pope Francis Attends The Weekly General Audience on Wednesday.

Pope Francis to miss Sunday prayer due to 'absolute rest' order after bronchitis diagnosis

Udoka Godwin-Malife

Burton Albion defender allegedly target of racist abuse by fan

Applegreen petrol station in New Town, Uckfield, Sussex.

Teenager dies after car overturned at Sussex petrol station

Starmer, Trump and Putin.

'Once in a generation moment': Starmer warns against NATO division ahead of emergency summit on Ukraine