A Christmas with baubles, not bubbles, is still in our own hands

THE sight of a sombre Boris Johnson and his scientists giving a Downing Street address was an unwelcome return to the dark days of Covid lockdowns.

But it was inevitable that cases of the fast-spreading Omicron variant would be seen in this country after we opened up world travel.

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Despite concern about how resistant the new strain is to our current jabs, “vaccine escape” as Prof Chris Whitty dubbed it, there is no need to panic. 

So far only two cases have been confirmed here, so the Government is not being forced to race to catch up with events.

The measures announced last night — the mandatory re-introduction of masks, PCR tests for travellers and highly targeted screening — are entirely sensible precautions.

We don’t yet know enough about this variant to predict how devastating it could be. But one thing we do know is that you can protect yourself and others by following the rules. 

Wear your mask and, most crucially, get your booster jab when you can. 

A Christmas with baubles, not bubbles, is still in our own hands.

End Cabinet feuding

BORIS Johnson will pay a massive price if he fails to tackle the migrant crisis.

So a Cabinet civil war on the issue is the last thing we need.

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Reports that Number 10 has got the knives out for Home Secretary Priti Patel are worrying.

The PM must not allow a blame game to distract the Government from our real enemies, the evil people-smugglers.

Voters have lost patience with Boris over the lack of action.

There is already evidence of a big swing to Labour in the upcoming by-election in usually blue rinse Old Bexley and Sidcup.

If the PM offers damaging internal strife instead of united action he will face a pasting at the polls.

Deportation mockery

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FOR an example of the scale of our deportation problems look at vile Ildiko Enderle.

This evil people-smuggler was sentenced to seven years in Romania for trafficking girls as young as 15 into the sex trade.

She was tracked down to Britain. But an Appeal Court judge, Mr Justice Holman, ruled she can stay here because her mental health could suffer in a Romanian jail.

What about her victims’ mental health?

If a convicted trafficker like her cannot be deported, what hope does the Government have of ever sending back any migrant?