‘No easing of lockdown in Scotland’

SCOTLAND’S First Minister Nicola Sturgeon yesterday laid into British Prime Minister Boris Johnson over plans to ease lockdown – warning that ditching “stay at home” guidance at this point would be “catastrophic”.

Sturgeon took an axe to the UK’s united front on coronavirus as she insisted there could be no loosening at all for at least another week – and suggesting it would be largely unchanged in Scotland for the rest of the month.

Johnson is expected to set out the next phase of the response to the crisis in an address on Sunday night. He said yesterday that “easements” to the restrictions would be outlined.

Downing Street played down the extent of the changes, saying Johnson told the cabinet he would exercise maximum caution. But ministers have made clear the “stay at home” mantra will be replaced with a more nuanced approach, while more people will be urged to return to work where possible.

Sturgeon said that Johnson had so far told her nothing about the proposals. She warned that the crucial “R” number– for how much the virus was replicating in the country, could be “hovering around one” – meaning it was close to growing again – and appeared to be worse in Scotland.

“Our assessment of the evidence leads me to the conclusion that the lockdown must be extended at this stage,” Sturgeon said.

Labour leader Keir Starmer has suggested lockdown must stay in place until testing capacity is much higher – after daily numbers slumped below 100 000 again. The government is thought to have drawn up a draft 50-page blueprint to gradually ease lockdown in staggered steps between now and October.

But with an increasing number of anecdotal reports that more people are flouting the lockdown in anticipation of Sunday’s announcement and a public holiday today, ministers are under pressure to make any new rules as clear as possible.

Earlier, the Bank of England underlined how deeply the lockdown had hurt the economy, saying Britain could be headed for its biggest economic slump in over 300 years.

Johnson has ploughed money into a support programme for businesses, but appears to be erring on the side of caution of immediately firing up the economy. | Daily Mail Reuters