Mr Javid was forced to clarify official advice on the issue on Thursday, insisting that it was up to individuals who they embraced. 

“I’ll certainly be kissing my wife under the mistletoe. It’s a Javid family tradition,” he told ITV.

Confusion over Christmas parties

It came after another minister was accused of sowing confusion over formal government guidance, by implying that small groups of people should enjoy work Christmas parties, but saying that larger firms may wish to cancel seasonal gatherings due to Covid.

George Freeman, a minister at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, said businesses should question whether large events were “sensible”.

“For many small businesses, four of five staff who are working together every day anyway, gathering to have a drink isn’t a big step up in risk,” he told Times Radio.

“But some companies might normally bring hundreds of people around the world to a big party and they may decide this year, is that sensible given the pandemic and given where we are.”

His intervention forced Boris Johnson to step in later in the day to stress that Britons “shouldn’t be cancelling” Christmas parties or nativity plays, as there was “no need” and it was not Government advice.

Speaking at St Thomas’ Hospital in London, where he had just received his booster jab, the Prime Minister said the new “tough measures” were restricted to mask-wearing, self-isolation after contact with a confirmed omicron case, and testing for inbound travellers.

He highlighted that at Downing Street “we have events the whole time”, adding: “We had an event for Chanukah, we turned the Christmas lights on. We have all sorts of things in Number 10, in accordance with the rules as you’d expect.”