Relaxations in coronavirus rules over Christmas should not be “misinterpreted” and people should do “the minimum that is possible” over the festive period, a cabinet minister has said. Under recently announced plans, up to three households will be permitted to meet for five days over Christmas. But urgent talks are said to be under way in Whitehall following the emergence of a new Covid variant and the decision to place London and parts of Essex and Hertfordshire under tighter tier 3 restrictions from midnight on Tuesday.