A UK government minister has warned Brits against the tradition of “snogging under the mistletoe” this Christmas.
Or more specifically, “snogging” anyone you do not know.
In the wake of the government being accused of delivering mixed messages, Work and Pensions Secretary, and Conservative MP Therese Coffey said in an interview with ITV’s Robert Peston on his political talk show yesterday that people should try to keep socially distanced from one another where possible this festive season, in a bid to curb the spread of the new Omicron variant.
Ms Coffey said that said all kissing with those “you don’t already know” should be avoided.
When questioned by Peston on whether Brits should consider being “cautious” over Christmas socialising, Therese Coffey responded: “I don’t think there should be much snogging under the mistletoe.
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“[We] don’t need to do things like that, but I think we should all be trying to enjoy the Christmas ahead of us and that’s why we’re working so hard to get the deployment of as many vaccines as possible, and of course continuing to encourage people who haven’t been vaccinated at all yet, to come forward, recognising that we’re still trying to understand the impact of Omicron.
“That’s why we’ve got our top scientists working on it.
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“But what we do know is that vaccines will help protect against impacts and that’s why we’ve pre-ordered the antiviral medical treatments as well.”
.@Peston: Should we be cautious over socialising at Christmas?@theresecoffey: I don’t think there should be much snogging under the mistletoe.
Ms Coffey was asked about Christmas socialising in relation to whether she agreed with and was backing the comments made by the UK’s Health Security Agency CEO and head of NHS Track and Trace Dr Jenny Harries this week.
Dr Jenny Harries grabbed headlines after urging everyone to do their bit by reducing the number of social contacts they have, and also warned against “not socialising when we don’t particularly need to”.
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But Ms Coffey responded: “Christmas we should continue to plan for and enjoy, I hope.”
After Ms Coffey’s comments were picked up on Twitter, and many began to share their responses and continue to critique the government’s mixed messages, she herself tweeted: “Don’t kiss with people you don’t know… Government working exceptionally hard with NHS and the Jabs Army to get boosters in arms so we can all enjoy a proper Christmas knees-up.”
Watch the full interview folks … Don't kiss with people you don't know..Government working exceptionally hard with NHS and the Jabs Army to get boosters in arms so we can all enjoy a proper Christmas knees up https://t.co/3jgYFNM070
Therese Coffey’s comments also come a handful of new targeted measures were introduced in England on Tuesday in the wake of the detection of the new Omicron variant.
The UK government says that the new measures – which were announced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson in a Downing Street news conference this past Saturday evening, and confirmed by Health Secretary Sajid Javid this week – are being taken as a “precaution to slow down the spread of the variant”.
The measures will be in place for three weeks while the government attempts to “gather more information”.
Man jailed for 10 years after raping ‘extremely vulnerable’ woman in Manchester city centre
Emily Sergeant
A man has been jailed after being found guilty of raping an ‘extremely vulnerable’ woman multiple times in Manchester city centre.
Benjamin Wilson, of Norwood Avenue in Chesterfield, was sentenced to over 10 years in prison after being found guilty of offences committed in Manchester city centre back in June 2022, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) has confirmed.
The victim – who was described as being ‘extremely vulnerable and intoxicated’ – plucked up the courage to go on a night out with friends in Manchester, however she became separated from them and was later subjected to a serious sexual assault, which was linked to a suspected drink spiking.
During the evening, the victim – whose identity has been withheld – and her friend believed their drinks had been tampered with, and she later found herself alone, heavily intoxicated, and extremely vulnerable, before she came into contact with Wilson near a takeaway.
Wilson took advantage of the situation, guiding her into a taxi before repeatedly raping her at a flat in Manchester.
The following morning, he dropped her near the hotel where she had been due to stay with her friend, and she proceeded to report the incident to police shortly afterwards.
A man has been jailed for 10 years after raping an ‘extremely vulnerable’ woman in Manchester city centre / Credit: GMP
From the outset, investigators said they faced ‘significant challenges’ – including limited early forensic opportunities and issues securing CCTV footage, all while needing to prioritise the victim’s wellbeing.
Hundreds of hours of work went into analysing witness accounts, financial and phone data, intelligence checks, and overcoming cross-force barriers leading to Wilson’s arrest in Derbyshire.
“The case was ultimately built through meticulous investigation, persistence, and, crucially, the strength and courage of the victim’s testimony,” GMP said.
Speaking following Wilson’s sentencing this week, DC Phillip Sargeant, of GMP’s Longsight CID, commented: “I am awestruck not only by the courage of the victim in coming forward, but also by her patience and resilience in waiting for justice.
“The impact on her, her family and her support network has been profound.
“I hope today’s sentence provides some measure of closure and enables them to move on from this traumatic experience.”
Featured Image – GMP
News
Council sets out plans to rework busy Manchester junction after ‘serious safety concerns’
Emily Sergeant
Bold new plans to transform one of Manchester’s busiest junctions following ‘serious’ safety concerns have been unveiled.
All the way back in 2022, Manchester City Council identified the junction of Wilmslow Road with Ladybarn Road and Sherwood Street as an area that would ‘greatly benefit’ from upgraded infrastructure.
As a major route into Manchester, and an important route cutting through the city’s southern neighbourhoods, this junction sees a vast amount of road, cyclist, and foot traffic every day… and because of this, there are also said to be ‘serious concerns’ around safety when it comes to this particular stretch of road.
In a five year period between 2018 and 2023 alone, there were 15 collisions at this junction, the Council explained – with two of these classified as ‘serious’.
Under the plans – which have been announced by the Council this week – the junction is to be partially redesigned, creating several new and safer crossing points for cyclists and pedestrians, a more ‘seamless’ route along the current cycling lanes, and overall, just general improvements to the layout.
🚧 Wilmslow Rd Junction Improvements 🚲 Works start 18 May 2026 at Wilmslow Rd / Ladybarn Rd / Sherwood St to make the junction safer for pedestrians & cyclists. ✅ New cycle lanes ✅ Safer crossings ✅ Better links to the Fallowfield Loop 🔗 https://t.co/Y26mH7cc8Epic.twitter.com/IiOih5ehqp
— Manchester City Council (@ManCityCouncil) May 11, 2026
Some of the safety features set to be included are three dedicated crossing points for pedestrians at the junction, rumble strips for cyclists at pedestrian crossing points, and improved signage and road markings.
Work is due to begin as early as next Monday (18 May), and will run until January 2027.
The work is set to be carried out in four phases, the Council has confirmed – with the first phase of these works comprising of the removal of street furniture, kerbs and tarmac, as well as upgrades to the drainage and road markings.
“This junction in particular sees a high volume of traffic – from cars, cyclists and pedestrians, commented Councillor Tracey Rawlins, who is the Executive Member for Clean Air, Environment and Transport at Manchester City Council.
“So it was clear that improvements were required following our engagement with local residents.
“As has been the case with other schemes like this in Manchester, safety remains our number one priority.
“We have long said that we want Manchester to be a city where people can walk and cycle around in safety, and by upgrading this junction and improving its crossing points, we are taking another step towards that goal.”
Emily Sergeant -
2nd December 2021 
