Christmas Isn't Cancelled

Students are expected to be allowed home for Christmas, Downing Street said yesterday.

- Sam Lister

Tens of thousands of young people at universities across the country have been forced to isolate in their halls of residence after coronavirus outbreaks.

And ministers fuelled fears of festive misery after refusing to rule out locking down the universities.

But the Prime Minister’s spokesman said students are subject to the same rules as everyone else and should be free to celebrate with their families.

“We would expect all students to be able to go home at Christmas,” he added.

No 10 moved to ease fears that students would be banned from travelling home hours after Care Minister Helen Whately refused to rule out a holiday lockdown.

Confined

She echoed warnings made last week by Health Secretary Matt Hancock that he could not take any option off the table to deal with a surge in the disease.

Furious Tory MPs warned yesterday that attempts to stop students reuniting with families would be unacceptable.