CORONAVIRUS restrictions over Christmas should be the same across the United Kingdom, the Liberal Democrats have said.

Along with the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland, the Lib Dems are calling on a four nation approach to coronavirus rules over the festive period.

A letter - signed by Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey, as well as Scottish Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie, Welsh Lib Dem leader Jane Dodds and Alliance Party deputy leader Stephen Farry - asks the national leaders to "accept the inevitability" that people will travel, including between nations.

"It therefore falls on you and your counterparts to work across governments to explore workable solutions that can enable travel to happen safely," it states.

"To manage the implications for public health, we are urging you to hold a four-nations summit to co-operate on students' return, to agree uniform guidance on the number of people who can gather, and to explore how best to expand travel options to allow social distancing."

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Sir Ed said: "No one country can manage this challenge in isolation. The fractured rules across the UK have already been incredibly difficult to piece together."

Speaking to BBC Breakfast, he added: "The problem I see at the moment is different rules in difference parts of the United Kingdom.

"While I strongly believe in devolution, I think parts of the pandemic responses have see that work well, I think for Christmas there has to be a co-ordinated plan because millions of people normally travel across the UK, across the four nations, to see their families.

"They need clear guidance.

"They are trying to plan Christmas now and they are not getting the guidance from the government."