Saving jobs is more important than constitution, says MP
NICOLA STURGEON IAN MURRAY ALASDAIR HOUSTON OLIVER MUNDELL
BY TORCUIL CRICHTON
THE First Minister was yesterday accused of being obsessed with the constitution as she admitted she is still considering whether to stop people travelling across the Border from England.
Nicola Sturgeon renewed her warning that the Scottish Government could stop those wishing to come here, or impose quarantine measures on cross-border travel, to keep a lid on Covid-19 as lockdown eases this week.
But business leaders warned of the damage it would cause while Labour MP Ian Murray said “jobs, jobs, jobs” should take priority, not “squabbling over the Border”.
Asked about the possibility of border closures, Sturgeon told the BBC: “I will keep all of these things under review. One of our biggest risk over the next few weeks is the risk of importation into the country.”
Speaking on the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show, the SNP leader added: “That’s why I have taken a very cautious decision about international quarantine.
“This is not a position I relish being in. It also means that we have to take a very close look at making sure we are not seeing the virus come in from other parts of the UK.”
She added: “It is not something we are planning to do but I will take decisions as best I can to protect the health of Scotland.”
Sturgeon insisted her consideration had nothing to with independence and said there were global examples of states banning travel across internal borders.
She said: “This is not political, it’s not constitutional, it’s just taking a similar view to countries across the world in terms of protecting populations from the risk of the virus.”
Sturgeon also repeated her condemnation of border protests by a group of masked nationalist activists who urged holidaymakers not to cross into Scotland.
She said: “People from England are welcome in Scotland and lots of people in England live in Scotland and vice-versa.
“This is not about politics, it’s not about the constitutional agenda, it’s about taking decisions to try to protect people from Covid.”
But opponents were outraged by the threat to shut the Border.
Labour MP Ian Murray said: “Scotland has the highest rate of unemployment in the UK, with almost three-quarters of a million more on furlough or self-employment support, yet we are once again stuck in a debate about quarantining English tourists.
“A proper functioning tracking system isolates local outbreaks to avoid locking down entire countries.
“It’s either a constitutional obsession or a lack of confidence in the Scottish Government’s own system that is driving the First Minister to talk about closing borders.
“It’s time for both Governments to stop playing party politics and to focus on solutions to the post-Covid challenges that save jobs, businesses and protect our public services.
“Labour’s priority as lockdown measures are eased is not squabbling over the Border, but jobs, jobs, jobs.”
Alasdair Houston, chairman of Gretna Green Ltd, which operates Smiths, Green’s, Gretna Hall and the Famous Blacksmith’s Shop on the Border, said if Sturgeon did impose restrictions on visitors from England to Scotland, it would be “very unwelcome”.
He added: “In practical terms it would be immensely difficult to implement, but more importantly, what would it actually achieve?
“The Border is so porous. People living here in Gretna cross it countless times every day to go about their daily lives, and the same can be said for our neighbours on the other side.
“Gretna Green is the first point in Scotland to welcome visitors from England, and that is our single biggest market. But it’s not just Gretna that relies and thrives on trade from our friends and neighbours across the Border – the whole of Scotland does.”
Pamela Nash, chief executive of pro-UK group Scotland in Union, said Sturgeon was “trying to drive a wedge between Scotland and England”.
She added: “Any future lockdown measures should be taken on localised public health decisions, as we have seen in Leicester, not based on the line on the map between Scotland and England that Ms Sturgeon is so obsessed with.”
Oliver Mundell, the Conservative MSP for Dumfriesshire, accused the First Minister of “stoking division”.
After Sturgeon’s interview, he tweeted: “Nationalism at work. Spreading lies, whipping up fear and stoking division. We are one United Kingdom. It is not in our interest to pull up the drawbridge.”