‘Are you taking the p*** Boris?’ Twitter erupts with memes as PM urges the nation to ‘have a merry little Christmas’ after Wales and Scotland sparked festive bubble chaos
Twitter has erupted with memes after Boris Johnson urged the nation to 'have a merry little Christmas,' amid festive bubble chaos in Wales and Scotland.
After crisis talks between the leaders of all four nations, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the easing of restrictions over Christmas would go ahead.
Mr Johnson advised people tonight to have a 'merry little Christmas,' saying the three household bubble law were 'maximums, not targets to aim for,' in England.
He said the laws would remain the same but urged people to delay seeing elderly relatives not yet vaccinated, and that a 'smaller Christmas is going to be a safer Christmas
Mr Johnson, who was branded a turkey online, claimed the decision was 'unanimous', but within minutes Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford issued different advice, quickly followed by Scotland's Nicola Sturgeon.
Mark Drakeford instead said only two households should 'bubble' together between December 23 and 27 - as opposed to three in England - and Sturgeon pleaded with Scots who have not already organised bubbles to avoid them all together.
The Scottish minister also added that gatherings should only happen on one day and people should not stay overnight unless 'unavoidable'.
Drakeford also announced a full 'Level 4' lockdown will come into force in Wales from December 28.
The conflicting announcements sparked Christmas chaos and humour online.
Social media users compared the leaders to figures including James Bond, Darth Vader and Kim Jong-un in a bid to make light of the situation.
'The name's Drakeford, Mark Drakeford,' read one post as it joked he had a 'licence to lock down' like the classic line from Ian Fleming's famous spy Jame's Bond.
Another posted a picture of Buzz Lightyear from the Toy Story series and captioned the image: 'There seems to be no signs of intelligent life anywhere.'
At a Downing Street press conference this afternoon, the PM tried to regain control and said all the UK nations were sending the 'same message' that 'smaller is safer' this Christmas.
Mr Johnson advised people to decide their bubbles by Friday and isolate beforehand if possible, as well as avoiding elderly relatives.
Unlike Scotland and Wales, Johnson did not make specific suggestions about reducing the number of households or days people meet.
Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty warned Christmas 'isn't a moment to relax at all'.
He said tonight: 'This is the equivalent of saying these are icy and treacherous conditions... just because you can doesn't mean you should... This is not a moment to relax at all. Quite the reverse.'
But social media users still poked fun at his confused messaging about how to celebrate Christmas.
With just over a week to go before Christmas Day, Boris Johnson has been likened to a festive turkey
Mr Johnson advised people to decide their bubbles by Friday and isolate beforehand if possible, as well as avoiding elderly relatives.
The confusion was captured in this tweet by one social media who accompanied it with a clip of the PM going a thumbs up
Matt Lucas' impersonation of Boris Johnson has been referenced once again after the PM told people to 'have a merry little Christmas,' but then gave mixed guidance on whether families should meet
Twitter users were far from impressed with Boris Johnson's festive pun as he dished out guidance on meeting over Christmas
As Wales and Scotland changed Christmas lockdown guidance, the PM tried to regain control and said all the UK nations were sending the 'same message' that 'smaller is safer' this Christmas
Chris Whitty's comparison of families mixing over Christmas with driving at 70mph on icy roads was openly mocked online
Christmas celebrations could be over before they have even begun, as Boris Johnson said 'smaller is safer' for gatherings next week
Are you local? Boris Johnson's Christmas guidance made some people think of characters from comedy series The League of Gentlemen
Nine months after Boris Johnson enforced a nationwide lockdown, strict measures to curb the spread of Covid-19 remain in place across the country
Comparisons were drawn between Mark Drakeford and Emperor Palpatine from Star Wars
Star Wars was used to make another quip at the confusion caused following Mr Johnson's statement
This social media user compared Wales' Mark Drakeford to James Bond in a gag about lockdown
Twitter users had a stark warning for the Government after the latest Christmas guidance was delivered on Wednesday evening
Buzz Lightyear was another character that was used to poke fun at the situation following the announcement
This Twitter user also poked fun at Mark Drakeford with a cheeky poke at his lockdown 'punishment'
There was plenty of confusion over Boris Johnson's 'nonsensical,' plan, as one woman asked 'Are you taking the p***?'
The confusion was simplified into three letters by one Twitter user, as Brits balked at the Prime Minister's statement this evening
This person speculated that the changes to the Christmas rules would allow people to avoid their in-laws
Another Twitter user also posted a clip of Gordon Ramsey spouting his trademarked foul language in reaction to the restrictions announced by Nicola Sturgeon
Some joked that the Scottish and Welsh ministers' actions made 'Boris look tame in comparison'
'Guidelines instead of actual rules' is what this person compared the announcement to, using a scene from the Pirates of the Carribbean film
Another Twitter user said the lockdown would benefit online shopping services like Amazon
'Wales in lockdown again!' is how this individual heralded the news, before comparing the Welsh First Minister to a dictator
Wales bore the brunt of the humorous jibes after the changes to the rules made today
Others poked fun at Boris Johnson and said he should copy the other's lead but 'make it more Boris'
Jokes were also made about London heading into Tier 3 as further restrictions were announced today ahead of Christmas for parts of the UK
Social media users also compared Mark Drakeford to General Melchett from Blackadder
Others poked fun and questioned the point of the firebreak lockdown, put in place 'so we could meet families and go places over Christmas'
The Welsh Labour leader was also compared to Ricky Gervais' bumbling David Brent in The Office
This social media user joked that the Downing Street press conference was a 'bit mad'
Little Britain was also deployed as a meme as people tried to laugh in the face of confusion
Christmas will be spent in the cold outdoors this user speculated on social media
Matt Lucas could be recruited to poke fun at Boris Johnson again, this user said, after doing a pardoy sketch of the Prime Minister on the Great British Bake Off earlier this year