No place for nanny as freedoms return

THE lockdown has required an enormous collective sacrifice – and it isn’t over yet.

It could only work with the threat of criminal sanctions, such as fines and arrest.

But there is always a risk that a hectoring approach will backfire, undermining public consent.

To their credit, Scots police have taken a softer line than some English forces, using fines as a last resort.

Now Nicola Sturgeon has signalled a more flexible stance as unlockdown begins to get under way from May 28. We are encouraged to use our own judgment when deciding how far to travel for family reunions once the ‘easements’ are made.

It’s a bit of a muddle. Initially we were told not to stray more than five miles from home. Now we can visit relatives farther afield as long as we meet them outside – and are sure we won’t need to go indoors.

It was always going to be a messy exit, that’s life: lawmakers can’t lay down guidance for every possible eventuality.

‘Greater freedoms’ were also promised by Chief Constable Iain Livingstone, whose officers will not be stopping motorists to check they haven’t travelled too far.

These moves are a refreshing change for a government that has always had a tendency to attempt to micro-manage our lives.

Indeed, Miss Sturgeon was highly critical of Boris Johnson’s strategy to relax lockdown when it was announced, dismissing it as too ‘vague’. This didn’t stop her adopting its central principles less than two weeks later (and facing similar accusations of a confused plan of action).

For now, as we prepare for an incremental journey back to recognisable routines, if not to full normality, we should be grateful for small mercies.

Adults should be trusted to be sensible – and, of course, face the consequences of bad decisions. But the nanny state has no place in the weeks that lie ahead as we enjoy a restoration, in limited form, of cherished freedoms.