Western Morning News (Saturday)
The things they say
■ “This is a great day – I am so relieved, I’m so happy for all those people who’ve been living in fear”
– BBC presenter Jo Whiley, whose sister Frances has the rare Cri du Chat genetic syndrome and was recently in hospital with Covid-19, after the Government announced all adults on the learning disability register will be prioritised for a coronavirus vaccine.
■ “Vaccines give clear hope for the future, but for now we must all continue to play our part in protecting the NHS and saving lives”
– England’s chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty as an advertising blitz was launched to urge people to stay at home despite falling coronavirus rates and successful of the vaccine rollout.
■ “We are putting trust in teachers. That’s where the trust is going – there is going to be no algorithms whatsoever but there will be a very clear and robust appeals mechanism”
– Education Secretary Gavin Williamson on how exam grades will be decided in the summer.
■ “He is currently awake, responsive and recovering in his hospital room. Thank you to the wonderful doctors and hospital staff at Harbor UCLA Medical Centre, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, and the Fire Department. Your support and assistance has been outstanding”
– A statement on Tiger Woods’s Twitter account announces the golfer seriously injured both his legs on a car crash.
■ “Any suggestion at all that these decisions are in any way politically influenced are downright wrong. I would suggest that they go further than that; that they actually start to buy into what is a false and quite dangerous conspiracy theory that has no basis in fact”
– First Minister Nicola Sturgeon on the Crown Office’s intervention in the redaction of Alex Salmond’s evidence. ■ “I appreciate it greatly – I am happy that I’m able to spread positive messages and show a side of me that people might not know of. A lot of what I do is not for me, I just want to give people the best chance to be the best they can be.”
– Footballer Marcus Rashford after being awarded a rare gold Blue Peter badge.