Newspaper headlines: ’12 rules of Christmas’ and Sunak’s ‘New Deal’

image caption“The rule of three” is how the Metro greets the news that three households will be able to get together for a five-day period over Christmas under a deal agreed by the UK’s four nations on Tuesday. The paper says the relaxation of Covid rules over the festive period has given millions of Britons an “early Christmas present”.

image captionThe Daily Telegraph also splashes on the rules for family “bubble” celebrations at Christmas, with the paper reporting that the prime minister had originally hoped to permit households to meet to get together for a week, but had to “slim down” the plan following opposition from leaders in Scotland and Wales. The Telegraph quotes a government source as saying they accept the Christmas rules aren’t “going to work for everyone, but we need to avoid the virus spreading again”.

image captionIn its top story, the Times says government scientific advisers have warned that the relaxation of Covid-19 restrictions over Christmas will cost lives and risk a third lockdown in January, but that ministers believe families’ need for contact outweighs this. The paper’s front page also reports news that Brexit negotiators are locked in a “stand-off” over sausages “as the prospect grows of a trade ban at the end of the year” which could see Irish sausages taken off British supermarket shelves and German bratwurst turned back at Calais.

image captionThe Daily Mail dubs the new festive regulations the “12 rules of Christmas” with the UK’s four nations uniting “for festive cheer”. The paper says the plan is “designed to lift spirits” as England switches to a toughened system of regional tiered restrictions after the second national lockdown ends on 2 December.

image captionA striking photograph of Beyoncé, who has earned nine nominations for next year’s Grammy awards, dominates the Guardian’s front page – which also carries news of the new festive regulations. The paper claims two exclusives, including its story that police are investigating the ITV show I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out Here over allegations that non-native wildlife could have escaped into the Welsh countryside during its bushtucker trials. The show, which is normally hosted in the Australian jungle, is being held in Gwrych castle in north Wales this year due to Covid-19 restrictions. ITV told the paper that all of the insects used on the show were non-invasive species, but declined to comment on which species were used.

image captionPrime Minister Boris Johnson is transformed into Slade frontman Noddy Holder for the Sun’s front page take on the new festive rules, which its headline suggests will give families a “mini Christmas”. The paper also carries a front page mention of the I’m a Celebrity allegations with the line “Welsh cops probe invasion of the Celeb cockroaches”. A spokesperson for ITV said: “They are only ever released in a contained area and collected immediately after filming. They are all purchased commercially within the UK and are normally bred as animal food.”

image caption“Have a merry (but not so many) Christmas” is the headline of the Daily Express’s front page report on the new rules for meet-ups over the festive period. The paper carries Mr Johnson’s warning that people should not “throw caution to the wind” over the holiday season.

image captionThe Daily Star attempts a humorous take on the new festive rules, joking that people who like their relatives will be “delighted” that they can see them, whilst those who don’t will just “have to pretend you’re happy”.

image caption“Bubbles are for Christmas” according to the i’s front page, which quotes the Health Secretary Matt Hancock as saying all restrictions could end once over-50s are vaccinated, and who urges Britons not to “soldier on” with a sniffle over the winter.

image caption“Seasons meetings” is how the Daily Mirror headlines its front page report on the rules for family gatherings over Christmas. Its front page also features a striking photograph of a mother with her three little girls, who the paper says are among 4m UK children living in poverty, and could be offered “new hope” from Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s promise of a £4.6bn financial support package for the country.

image captionThe Financial Times’s main story sets out the key details of the chancellor’s announcement later, saying he is expected to promise a £4.3bn financial package, designed, in the paper’s words, “to shield jobs and livelihoods from Covid shock”. The paper reports that Mr Sunak will tell MPs that “now is not the time to begin fiscal consolidation, despite publishing what government officials admitted were “scary” forecasts showing the economic destruction caused by the pandemic” with officials suggesting the forecasts would show a £40bn hole in public finances.