Boris must pay up for pubs & diners

THERE is no doubt Nicola Sturgeon wants tougher measures to meet the surging wave of Omicron that is in danger of overwhelming the health service.

The First Minister fears the economy as well as the NHS will reap the consequences of illness and absences.

However, if the Scottish Government goes ahead with ordering the hospitality industry and large-scale venues like nightclubs to close down then a huge package of compensation payments will have to swing into action.

The Scottish Government does not have the resources to put in place furlough and business hardship grants without the UK Treasury’s vast borrowing powers, hence Sturgeon’s plea for UK-wide action.

The First Minister’s analysis does not come out of the blue – she reads the same scientific advice as they do in Downing Street.

Her warning to people to restrict social gatherings found an echo in Professor Chris Whitty’s words as he stood next to the Prime Minister at a press conference on Wednesday.

But Boris Johnson has made the political calculation that he cannot antagonise his anti-lockdown backbenchers.

He must also deal with the financial argument against another furlough scheme which would run into billions.

Away from the political chicanery – and the arguments about just how much money the Scottish Government actually has available – the industry is bleeding.

Even without formal restrictions, people are using their own judgment to cancel Christmas events, leaving caterers like Nico and Blythe Ewert massively out of pocket.

Their personal agony is replicated right across the hospitality industry, which needs support or it will fold.

Our lives are enhanced by restaurants, pubs and cafes across the country.

Financial support for this important sector must be found before it is too late.