Portsmouth council boss says Christmas bubbles will be good for families but warns of third wave

Prime minister Boris Johnson announced last night that three households will be allowed to mix in a bubble between December 23 and December 27.

Portsmouth City Council leader, Councillor Gerald Vernon-Jackson welcomed the chance for families to reunite after a difficult year but told The News he was concerned it could lead to a third wave.

Cllr Vernon-Jackson said: ‘I think it is so important for people to be able to see their families over Christmas and people deserve a break.

‘But at the same time I am very concerned that it could lead to a third wave.’

Each Christmas bubble, which can’t change during the week bar children with separated parents, will not be able to go to pubs and restaurants together.

People aged over 65 in care homes will not be able to join their families for Christmas and in families where three children live away from home, they would not all be able to return for Christmas.

Portsmouth North MP Penny Mordaunt said: ‘I am very aware that some people will still be shielding and that it will be really hard not to be able to join in.

‘We will soon have a vaccine but in the meantime we still all need to work together to slow Covid’s spread.

‘I hope that this will allow families and friends to get together at this special time.’

Havant MP Alan Mak said the announcement would was ‘very welcome after a tough year’.

Boris Johnson acknowledged the measures would not add up to a ‘normal Christmas’ and urged people to exercise caution.

The plan was agreed following a Cobra meeting with the same rules applying across all four nations.

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Portsmouth South MP Stephen Morgan said: ‘Ministers cannot make the same mistakes again and the cases we still see show that there is still a long way to go to finally beat this virus.’

Readers of The News also had their say about the rules.

Jack Hodgson wrote: ‘We should have just accepted it wasn’t going to happen this year as normal. Ridiculous decision for what is one day really and makes no sense.’

Michelle Clements said: ‘As one of four children, all with families of our own, we have all decided not to visit our elderly parents for Christmas this year.

‘It wouldn’t be fair as we all can’t go together are normal. Lots of FaceTime will be going on instead.’

For Dor Wearn Harding the news means she can spend Christmas with her mum, sister, brother in law and three-year-old niece.