HOME Secretary Priti Patel said “nothing has changed” with how coronavirus laws will be policed over Christmas.

Asked if the Prime Minister should have implemented stricter laws rather than the guidance for the festive period, Ms Patel told BBC Breakfast: “We’re not here to criminalise people around Christmas, which is why we have clear guidance around three households over that Christmas period of five days.

“I look back throughout this year … and look at how the British public have been incredible and the way in which they follow guidance, follow laws as well, but also adopted the practices of social distancing.”

READ MORE: Boris Johnson urges families to 'have yourself a Merry LITTLE Christmas'

She continued: “We’ve seen breaches throughout the year when it comes to breaches of coronavirus laws and, of course, the police will continue to enforce against people, individuals, egregious breaches that effectively risk spreading the virus.

“Nothing has changed on that and it’s absolutely right that the police continue to do that.”

Ms Patel later said the police have been “exceptional” in adopting to changes to laws and guidance, as well as educating the public throughout the pandemic.

Home Secretary Priti Patel said she would inform the police if she saw people breaching coronavirus laws over Christmas.

Asked if she would advise the public to report breaches over the festive period, she said: “Any individual that saw any laws being broken would take that upon themselves.

“If I saw somebody flouting coronavirus regulations and the laws, of course I would look to inform the police about that.

“The public are part of this … we do see the public and the police working together.”

Ms Patel denied that police would lessen their enforcement of coronavirus laws over Christmas.

“Nothing will change in terms of enforcement of coronavirus laws and regulations,” she said.

The Home Secretary went on to tell LBC: “The police are there to fight crime, cut crime, and also when it comes to coronavirus deal with egregious breaches of the coronavirus regulations and laws.

“I’ve seen the footage, and I’m sure you have, where they’ve been breaking up house parties, unlicensed music events and all these terrible breaches that, quite frankly, put public health at risk.”

Asked by host Nick Ferrari whether the police should be called if one extra person attended a Christmas gathering, she said: “No, I’m not going to go there Nick … I think (the public) have exercised great judgment throughout the year when it comes to following the regulations.”

Pressed on whether the police were needed in the case of “one extra grandma or uncle” at a gathering, Ms Patel said: “We do not need to get involved in any of that at all and we’re being clear about household bubbles for the Christmas period, the public will exercise their judgment and do the right thing because they want to protect each other.”

It comes as The Prime Minister said a “smaller Christmas is going to be a safer Christmas” and also suggested people should cut short their celebrations rather than enjoy the maximum permitted five days in a festive bubble.

The relaxation of social distancing rules across the UK will go ahead despite concerns about the possible impact on efforts to control the virus.

The original UK-wide plans would have seen three households allowed to form a festive bubble between December 23 and 27.

But Mr Johnson said those were the maximum limits rather than a target to aim for.

He suggested people should reduce their contacts in the five days ahead of the festive period if they were going to mix with friends and relatives.

In Wales, just households are allowed to mix, showing a different approach in the devolved nation.

The North-East is currently under Tier 3 Covid restrictions. 

In November, figures revealed more than 70 per cent of coronavirus fines have gone unpaid in some parts of the North-East.

According to data obtained by the PA news agency under freedom of information legislation, nine forces saw 60 per cent or more of the penalties go unpaid within 28 days between March 27 and September 21.

The highest proportion of unpaid fines was in the Cleveland force area, where 72 per cent of fines for the period, 215 out of 298, went unpaid.

In Northumbria the proportion was 68 per cent, with 188 out of 278 fines not paid, while in West Yorkshire 66 per cent of fines, 497 out of 756, went unpaid, according to data from the criminal records office ACRO which administers the fines.

The total number of fines issued in England and Wales between March 27 and September 21 was 18,912.

The Government is expected to this morning announce whether the region will remain under Tier 3 rules in the first review of measures since the four-week national lockdown came to an end.

The Northern Echo understands that MPs across our region were last night briefed on what tier the region would be placed under as authority leaders renewed claims that a move to Tier 2 is currently 'unlikely.'

Yesterday, the Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said he believed the Government would choose not to lessen restrictions in "many, if any" areas now that the capital has been placed under Tier 3 measures.