Good evening. Christmas is usually a time to eat, drink and be merry – but perhaps not tomorrow, after the public was urged not to get drunk during Wednesday's ambulance strikes. But, first, the headlines – including how the Prime Minister has left the door open to a 12p fuel duty rise in the Spring Budget.
Evening briefing: Today's essential headlines
Rishi Sunak | The Prime Minister's delivery and style at his first appearance before the liaison committee was a world away from Boris Johnson's flamboyant and often combative tone. After a victory for the Government yesterday on the Rwanda policy, Mr Sunak's refusal to put a number on how many migrants may be deported next year, or the "reasonable worst-case scenario" for small boat crossings, highlighted the difficulties that may still follow. He also left the door open to a 12p fuel duty rise in the Spring Budget. Get up-to-date by casting an eye over our politics live blog by Dominic Penna.
- Jeremy Clarkson | MPs demand action on Meghan comments
- Police | Investigation after Tory MP tells activist to ‘go back to Bahrain’
- Royals | King Charles hosts first pre-Christmas lunch - pictures
- Ukraine | Zelensky makes surprise visit to front-line city of Bakhmut
- Robert De Niro | Serial burglar found in actor's house while he slept
The big story: 'Drink responsibly' during strike
On the day that nurses walked out for the second time in a week, the NHS has issued a warning ahead of the first strike by ambulance workers in 30 years.
Prof Stephen Powis, the NHS medical director, said “drinking responsibly” and checking up on the elderly were key ways to reduce the pressures on hospitals.
“People can help by taking sensible steps to keep themselves and others safe during this period and not ending up in A&E, whether that is drinking responsibly or checking up on a family member or neighbour who may be particularly vulnerable to make sure they are OK,” he said.
The GMB, Unison and Unite unions – which represent around 25,000 ambulance workers – are walking out in a coordinated strike on Wednesday involving paramedics, call handlers and emergency care assistants at 10 of the 11 trusts in England and Wales in a dispute over pay.
A further strike by members of the GMB union at nine trusts will take place on Dec 28. The timing of the walkouts will vary between each union and ambulance service, with some on strike for 24 hours.
Meanwhile, at least three ambulance services today declared critical incidents ahead of the strikes, saying the sickest and most severely injured patients would be prioritised as they faced extraordinary demand.
The services said they took the decision because of pressures, including 999 call volumes and hospital handover delays. These are the affected ambulance services. And these are the full details of tomorrow's strike action.
Day's wait for broken hip at 93
In an example of the winter pressures already facing the NHS, a 93-year-old woman was left lying on the floor with a broken hip waiting for an ambulance for 25 hours.
Elizabeth Davies fell at her care home and was left “screaming in pain” for more than a day. When she was finally taken to Ysbyty Gwynedd, Bangor, she endured another 12-hour wait before being admitted to a ward.
On Monday, Mrs Davies underwent surgery to determine the extent of her injuries after a hip fracture was confirmed. Her son, Ian Davies, and daughter-in-law Susan, from Pwllheli, said the incident was “unacceptable”.
Fresh train strike in January
Train drivers are to stage a fresh strike early in the new year, threatening travel chaos as people return to work after Christmas.
Members of the drivers' union Aslef at 15 train companies will walk out on Thursday, January 5, after 93pc of members who voted backed more industrial action in the long-running dispute over pay.
Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union at Network Rail and 14 train operators are also planning to strike on January 3, 4, 6 and 7, meaning services will be crippled for a week. These are the dates of all the rail walkouts over the next couple of months.
Comment and analysis
- Ross Clark | Jeremy Clarkson’s biggest mistake was to capitulate
- Suzanne Moore | For Christmas, my family has set me free
- Michael Deacon | Gary Neville’s anti-Tory rant was pathetic
- Celia Walden | Please, spare us a woke rewriting of Shakespeare
- Charles Moore | Don’t blame dictionaries for redefining women
World news: Nazi camp secretary, 97, found guilty
A 97-year-old former Nazi concentration camp secretary has been given a two-year suspended sentence by a German court for complicity in the murder of more than 10,000 people. In one of the country's last Holocaust trials, Irmgard Furchner was found guilty on Tuesday for her role in what prosecutors called the "cruel and malicious murder" of tens of thousands of prisoners at the Stutthof camp in occupied Poland. Ms Furchner sat in a wheelchair in the courtroom, wearing a white cap and a medical mask as presiding judge Dominik Gross read out the verdict.
Tuesday long-read: Why The Telegraph’s correspondent had to flee China
In 2012, Sophia Yan arrived in Hong Kong to a mood of national optimism. A decade on, she leaves under a cloud of fear and surveillance. Read the feature
Sport news: End your Liverpool-City feud, fans told
Manchester City and Liverpool have written a joint letter to supporters of both clubs pleading with them to behave and report fans who do not in a bid to end the toxic feud between the sides. In a drive to stamp out the bad blood ahead of Thursday’s Carabao Cup clash at the Etihad Stadium, City chief executive Ferran Soriano and his Liverpool counterpart Billy Hogan have urged fans to report any crowd trouble or disturbing incidents. Our Northern Football Correspondent James Ducker reports that bans will be issued to any fans found guilty of “unacceptable behaviours”. Meanwhile, Luke Slater reports that Formula One drivers will be forbidden to display political or religious statements from next year, without prior approval from the FIA during its sanctioned events.
Editor's choice
- Neil McCormick | Terry Hall turned private agony into pinnacle of British protest music
- Health | ‘MS left me unable even to butter my toast. Now, I’m symptom-free’
- Bob Dylan | I've binge-watched Coronation Street because it makes me feel at home
Business news: BA investigates German software bug
British Airways has launched an urgent investigation into pilot planning software provided by the German carrier Lufthansa after an IT glitch left thousands of passengers stranded. The airline apologised after cancelling dozens of flights to and from America, including 15 scheduled to leave Heathrow on Tuesday. Oliver Gill reports that BA apologised to travellers who were left waiting for several hours in departure lounges five days before Christmas. Meanwhile, Matthew Field reports that Joe Biden is under pressure to return millions of pounds donated to the White House by alleged fraudster Sam Bankman-Fried.
Tonight starts now
10 health resolutions to start now | “Many people have been conditioned into thinking of January 1 as a day when we deprive ourselves of all the things that we have been encouraged to indulge in during December,” neurologist Dr Rachel Taylor says. “But the brain is hardwired to make it difficult for you because it does not deal with deprivation well.” The tips from the experts here are small changes that you can start to incorporate into your daily routine – without feeling like it’s a struggle.
Three things for you
- Watch | The Royal Variety Performance, ITV1, 8pm – and more
- Review | I Hate Suzie Too: a raw and honest TV drama
- Decor | How one of Britain's finest stately homes does Christmas
And finally... for this evening's downtime
The story of Argentina's third city, which gave the world Messi | From the moment Messi lifted up the shimmering World Cup trophy, travel companies have been showering us with holiday ideas like so much ticker tape. But none, so far, seem to have twigged that a pilgrimage to honour Argentina’s greatest ever player must include the country’s third most populous city – Rosario.
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