PRITI Patel has said she would call the cops on Brits breaking the Christmas Covid laws – and urged others to do the same.
The Home Secretary said she would not spend the holiday season with her family in other parts of the UK – and that she would “of course” inform the police if she spied her neighbours ignoring the rules.
Speaking to BBC Breakfast, the Home Secretary said she would dob in her neighbours.
“Any individual that saw any laws being broken would take that upon themselves,” Ms Patel said.
“If I saw somebody flouting coronavirus regulations and the laws, of course I would look to inform the police about that.
“The public are part of this … we do see the public and the police working together.”
And she denied police would be more relaxed about enforcing coronavirus rules over the festive season.
“Nothing will change in terms of enforcement of coronavirus laws and regulations,” she said.
KEEP IT LOCAL
The Home Secretary also told Brits not to travel across the country to see their loved ones – warning it was putting them at risk.
Ms Patel said: “We would urge everyone to be conscientious and to make the appropriate plans and the appropriate changes to their plans as well, hence the point about having a smaller and shorter Christmas.”
The Home Secretary demanded to know why people would risk travelling between high-risk and low-risk areas.
She said: “We’re urging people not to travel. Why would you travel? If you’re in a low tier area, why would you travel into a high tier area? So people will exercise their judgment.”
When asked if she was asking people to cancel their plans, she said: “Yes, I would urge people to change (plans).”
Ms Patel said she herself wouldn’t be travelling to see her family.
“I won’t be seeing my parents this Christmas, my parents live in a different part of the country and I will not travel to see them.
“I want to protect them, I don’t want to be spreading the virus. I feel I will take that responsibility and others will make that judgment too.”
Her own “Christmas bubble” would be “very, very tight”, Ms Patel said.
Ms Patel’s warning to stay local, comes after Boris Johnson delivered gloomy guidance for Christmas, telling people to have a “merry little Christmas – and I’m afraid I do mean little.”
Boris Johnson said he would not be scrapping the rules he announced last month allowing families to meet up.
But he suggested they now keep celebrations small and short amid increasing concerns over a surge in Covid.
Advice goes as far as to consider celebrating outdoors if granny is joining the party.
Mr Johnson insisted it would be “inhumane” to cancel Christmas — but urged people to use “personal responsibility” to protect elderly and vulnerable loved ones.
He added: “A smaller Christmas is going to be a safer Christmas and a shorter Christmas is a safer Christmas.
And plans for a united front on the holidays from the four nations fell apart, as Wales and Scotland dumped plans to stand by the five day relaxation of rules.
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon told people they should only spend one day with loved ones in their bubble – or avoid Christmas gatherings altogether.
And Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford changed the laws to only allow two households to meet over the festive season.
Mr Drakeford will plunge all of Wales into Level 4 lockdown following the Christmas break to prevent a third wave of coronavirus.
