Mansfield MP urges people to enjoy Christmas but keep staying safe

We are all able to form a Christmas bubble which will allow us to see family members inside our homes which we haven’t been able to do for some time.

Personally I think it’s positive – and important – that the Prime Minister has laid things out in this way, urging us to use our own common sense, to manage our own risk and take our own responsibility rather than simply dictating the tightest possible rules.

That little bit of personal choice and control will be better for us all after a difficult year.

I’d repeat the same message to local residents that the Prime Minister has already given – that the law is a limit and not a target, so please do take care, think about the risks and take good decisions whilst of course doing everything we can to enjoy Christmas.

Lord knows, we deserve it after this year.

For my part, my parents are separated so we’ve had to have that difficult conversation about who is in and out of the bubble – not everyone can be in.

So I’ll just be seeing ‘my lot’ outdoors, socially distanced and exchanging presents on other days, whilst it’s my in-laws in the Christmas bubble.

I know this is not the usual or perfect Christmas, but we need to keep people safe until the vaccine has been rolled out widely and we have some immunity to it.

There is a growing light on the other side of this Christmas holidays, where we can now see the path to removing restrictions in the months ahead, so let’s not blow it now.

There are many people who will continue to work over the Christmas period, such as the emergency services, care staff and hospital staff whose jobs have been made considerably harder with Covid.

It continues to be an extremely hard time for many in the current climate and I would like to thank them for everything they do, all through the year but especially at Christmas.

Lastly, I would like to thank everyone for all the work they have done this year, the incredible patience and resilience they have shown and wish everyone a very merry Christmas.

Ben Bradley is MP for Mansfield.