London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Oct 30, 2026

Christmas Day guidance in Scotland 'will not change'

Christmas Day guidance in Scotland 'will not change'

Scots will not face fresh restrictions on Christmas Day gatherings, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said.

People have been advised to reduce their contacts as much as possible in the coming days, but have not been asked to cancel Christmas plans.

And Ms Sturgeon said guidance for individuals would not change despite ongoing concerns about Covid-19.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has also ruled out immediate changes to regulations for people in England.

However, he said data would be "under review hour-by-hour", and that the UK government would not hesitate to "take further action" to protect public health.

Concerns about the faster-spreading Omicron variant of Covid-19 - now the dominant strain of the virus in Scotland - have raised speculation about new restrictions on people and businesses in the days running up to Christmas.

Scotland recorded more than 6,700 new infections on Monday, with the percentage of tests coming back positive at its highest level since January, at 15.2%.

Meanwhile, the UK as a whole reported 91,743 Covid cases, the second-highest daily total since mass testing began.

Asked if people could plan their Christmas Day celebrations on the basis of advice already given, Ms Sturgeon told BBC Scotland: "Yes."

The first minister said she wanted "people to have clarity about what we are expecting of them", and that they should "listen carefully to advice".

The government has asked people to reduce their contact with other households as much as possible and to stay home "as much as is feasible" on the days around Christmas, but that they can go ahead with their main family celebrations.

Ms Sturgeon also said people attending Christmas gatherings should take a Covid-19 test beforehand, practice good hygiene, and move to reduce their contacts again following the weekend.

The Scottish cabinet will meet on Tuesday morning, before Ms Sturgeon updates MSPs on the latest data and plans in the afternoon.

The Scottish government has already enacted some new guidelines for hospitality businesses and shops, and Ms Sturgeon said ministers would be looking at whether anything else could be done on that front.

She said: "Cabinet tomorrow will look at the data and we will consider - we haven't taken any decisions - whether there are any other steps we need to take, both to slow down the spread of infection and to take account of the fact that because of the rising number of infections we are seeing quite high staff absences across the economy and in public services.

"All of this has to be balanced and we will come to balanced decisions tomorrow.

And if we are deciding to do anything else - as I say I am not changing the advice for individuals around Christmas - I will set that out to parliament tomorrow."

Ms Sturgeon was speaking moments after Mr Johnson confirmed no immediate changes will be made to rules in England.

Speaking after a two-hour cabinet meeting, the prime minister said there were still "some things that we need to be clearer about before we decide to go further".

He said ministers were "looking at all kinds of things" and would "rule nothing out" in terms of future action.

Mr Johnson added: "Unfortunately I must say to people that we will have to reserve the possibility of taking further action to protect the public, to protect public health, to protect our NHS."


Nicola Sturgeon says she wants "people to have clarity about what we are expecting of them" ahead of Christmas Day


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Water pollution remains high despite £5bn investment
Regional Economic Divergence and Industrial Transformation
Technological Sovereignty and Regulatory Scrutiny
Fiscal Consolidation and Public Service Pressures
Automotive Industry Leadership Warns of Imminent Supply Chain Disruptions Following Recent European Trade Negotiations
High Court Delivers Landmark Ruling Affirming Strict Legal Protections for Corporate Data Privacy Against State Surveillance
Welsh First Minister Eluned Morgan Secures Additional Funding for Regional Transport Infrastructure and Rail Modernization
Scottish First Minister John Swinney Announces Major Green Energy Infrastructure Investment Package for Aberdeen
Department for Work and Pensions Proposes Sweeping Welfare Reforms to Incentivize Long-Term Unemployed Back into Work
Competition and Markets Authority Launches Formal Investigation into Artificial Intelligence Partnerships Involving Major Tech Giants
United Kingdom Foreign Secretary David Lammy Concludes High-Level Strategic Talks in Washington on Middle East Security
National Health Service England Unveils Emergency Winter Resilience Plan to Combat Projected Surge in Emergency Admissions
Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey Signals Cautious Approach to Interest Rate Cuts Amid Persistent Inflation
British Chancellor Rachel Reeves Finalizes Corporate Tax Overhaul Ahead of Autumn Budget to Fund Public Services
Automotive Manufacturers Urge Government Action as High Energy Costs and Global Supply Chain Disruptions Threaten Production
Metropolitan Police Issue Formal Apology Following Inadvertent Release of Confidential Information During High-Profile Investigation
Scottish Finance Secretary Shona Robison Unveils Devolved Budget Highlighting Housing and Public Service Adjustments
Energy Regulator Office of Gas and Electricity Markets Prepares to Remove Household Gas Standing Charges Following Treasury Mandate
Treasury Confirms Reversal of Planned Cash Individual Savings Account Allowance Reduction Protecting Twenty Thousand Pound Limit
Office for Budget Responsibility Revisions Predict Moderate United Kingdom Economic Growth with Elevated Inflation Pressures
Chancellor John Healey Delivers First Autumn Budget in Parliament Highlighting Temporary Bank Surcharge and Cost-of-Living Support
Met Office Issues Extended Forecast Highlighting Stable High Pressure Weather Patterns Across the United Kingdom
Scottish Finance Secretary Shona Robison Outlines Changes to Tax Thresholds and Residential Property Levies in Edinburgh
Financial Markets and Government Bond Yields Remain Stable Following Muted Reaction to Autumn Budget Measures
Defence Committee Chair Tan Dhesi Criticizes Budget for Delaying Critical Defence Spending Decisions to Next Year
International Monetary Fund Forecasts United Kingdom Economic Growth at One Point Three Percent for Year
Office for Budget Responsibility Assesses Fiscal Headroom Reduced to Fifteen Billion Pounds Following Global Energy Shocks
Chancellor John Healey Delivers First Autumn Budget Introducing Household Energy Support and Bank Tax Hikes
Aberdeen City Council Co-Leader Faces Binding Vote Challenge as Local Councillors Launch High Court Legal Battle
Housebuilding Across Scotland Falls to Eleven-Year Low Despite Government Declarations of a Housing Emergency
Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown Organizes National Innovation Summit in Manchester to Boost Regional Competitiveness
UK Government Faces Mounting Criticism Over Lack of Environmental Consultation During Artificial Intelligence Datacentre Expansion Talks
Greggs Announces Closure of Four Major Manufacturing Facilities Across Britain Resulting in Seven Hundred Forty Job Losses
British Retail Consortium Warns That Cumulative Employment and Regulatory Costs Threaten High Street Price Stability
Lloyds Banking Group Chief Executive Charlie Nunn Warns That Increased Bank Taxes Could Deter Long-Term Economic Investment
Ipsos Polling Reveals Seven in Ten Britons Expect Personal Tax Increases Amid Deep Public Economic Pessimism
Chancellor John Healey Delivers First Autumn Budget in Parliament Amid Tight Fiscal Constraints and Slower Growth Forecasts
United Kingdom Finance Monthly Review Highlights Rising Long-Term Borrowing Costs and Persistent Energy Price Pressures Across British Markets
Royal Marines Pioneer Rapid Autonomous Drone Operations During Major High North Exercise Involving NATO Allies
House of Commons Justice Committee Urges Chancellor to Align Prison and Courts Reform Ambitions With Concrete Budgetary Resources
Government Investigates Rapid Artificial Intelligence Datacentre Expansion Strategy Following Scrutiny Over Power Grid Demands and Planning Backlogs
His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary Warns Third-Party Supplier Breaches Threaten United Kingdom Police and Fire Service Data
Number of British Businesses in Financial Distress Reaches Highest Level in Two Decades Ahead of Fiscal Announcement
Chancellor John Healey Prepares Autumn Budget Amid Intense Market Scrutiny Over Fiscal Headroom and Spending Pressures
Education or Indoctrination? The Growing Debate Over Religious Participation in British Schools
Germany's Vanishing Shopfronts: The Silent Collapse of the Businesses That Built Its Cities
Northern Ireland Executive Reaches Agreement on Public Transport Modernization and Cross-Border Rail Infrastructure Funding
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero Approves New North Sea Carbon Capture and Storage Industrial Clusters
Office for National Statistics Reports Stabilization in Private Rental Growth Across Major English and Welsh Regional Cities
United Kingdom Automotive Manufacturing Output Rises Moderately as Electric Vehicle Assembly Lines Expand in the Midlands
×