The Prime Minister has compared those getting vaccinations to those who follow Jesus’ commandment to love thy neighbour in his Christmas address to the nation.

In the short video, Boris Johnson thanks those who’ve got their jabs claiming this Christmas will be better than last as a consequence.

“I hope I can be forgiven for taking pride in the spirit of neighbourliness that the people of this country have shown, getting jabbed not just for themselves but for friends and family and everyone we meet.

“That after all is the teaching of Jesus Christ, whose birth is at the heart of this enormous festival, that we should love our neighbour as ourselves.

“Let’s think of all those who are being good neighbours and thinking of others. All those in the NHS working over Christmas, care workers, those involved in the vaccination campaign, those looking after people who have lost loved ones this year and who would otherwise be on their own. The many thousands of people who are selflessly self-isolating to keep others safe from Covid.

In a rallying call for other to get boosters as well as first and second vaccinations, he said: “Though the time for buying presents is theoretically running out, there is still a wonderful thing you can give your family and the whole country and that is to get that jab so that next year’s festivities are even better than this years.”