The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Lockdown eased but not for Scots
England takes steps to change but Sturgeon rejects moves
Scots were yesterday told to stay at home as England began to take tentative steps to ending its lockdown.
Boris Johnson last night opened the construction and manufacturing industries south of the border by saying those who cannot do their jobs from home should be “actively encouraged” to return to work. From Wednesday, he said people can take unlimited outdoor exercise, while social distancing.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon insisted the evidence does not support Scotland following suit, as England’s new “stay alert” message was roundly criticised.
She said she had asked the Westminster government not to deploy the message north of the border, warning the “vague and imprecise” slogan could be “catastrophic”.
Nicola Sturgeon last night told Scots lockdown-easing measures announced by Boris Johnson apply only to England.
The prime minister unveiled his longawaited roadmap to the end of lockdown but it was instantly rejected by the other home nations.
People who are unable to do their jobs from home were urged to get back to work as part of the Westminister government’s package of measures announced in a pre-recorded Boris Johnson speech.
Mr Johnson said there would be no immediate end to strict rules designed to slow the spread of Covid-19 and urged the public to “stay alert, control the virus and save lives”, a change to the previous “stay home, protect the NHS, save lives” motto.
Mr Johnson said he had reached a “general consensus” with devolved administrations on the way forward – a suggestion which would have surprised Ms Sturgeon who said she first saw the change of emphasis in yesterday’s papers.
Ms Sturgeon used her daily briefing to address tensions over a change in message, which she described as “vague” and “imprecise”.
She acknowledged the right to change the slogan if the science backed it but questioned the wisdom of making it appear to be a UK-wide move.
She has asked the UK Government not to use the messaging in Scotland and admitted she does not know what the “stay alert” slogan actually means.
“For Scotland right now, given the fragility of the progress we’ve made, given the critical point that we are at, it would be catastrophic for me to drop the stay at home message, which is why I’m not prepared to do it,” she said.
Ms Sturgeon stressed “real progress” had been made in recent weeks but warned against easing lockdown measures too early or sending out “mixed messages” to the public about what actions they should take.
She said: “Let me be very blunt about the consequences if we were to do that.
“People will die unnecessarily and instead of being able to loosen restrictions, hopefully in the near future, we will be faced instead with having to tighten them. We must not take that risk.”
Ms Sturgeon added that the message in Scotland is not “stay at home if you can” but rather “stay at home full stop”.
The governments of Wales and Northern Ireland said they would be sticking to the previous message.
Staff in England will be told to return to their workplaces if they are unable to carry out roles in their own home but have been urged to avoid using public transport wherever possible.
Mr Johnson said from today, “anyone who can’t work from home, for instance those in construction and manufacturing, should be actively encouraged to go to work”.
He added: “We must and will maintain social distancing, and capacity will therefore be limited. So work from home if you can, but you should go to work if you can’t work from home.”
Business leaders said practical questions need answered so they can plan to restart the economy.
Firms also want to know if the government programme to pay the wages of workers under the furlough scheme will be extended beyond the end of June.
Adam Marshall, director general of the British Chambers of Commerce, said: “Businesses share the prime minister’s ambition to see more people return safely to work over the coming weeks.
“Companies will do everything they can to protect employees and customers, maintain social distancing and operate successfully as more sections of the economy are permitted to reopen.
“Businesses will need to see detailed plans for the phased easing of restrictions, co-ordinated with all nations across the UK and supported by clear guidance. It is imperative that companies have detailed advice on what will need to change in the workplace, including clarity on the use of PPE.”
The UK Government has introduced a five-tier terror threat-style alert system to advise ministers how stringently they should impose restrictions moving forward.
Mr Johnson said the country is currently on level four – the second most serious – but is ready to move towards level three.
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The message is not stay at home if you can, but rather stay at home full stop. NICOLA STURGEON
He said the “first careful steps” would come into force later this week, including allowing people to spend time outdoors for leisure purposes – as long as they are socially distanced from others.
That includes travelling for exercise, although the chief executive of Lake District National Park, Richard Leafe, tweeted: “This could be very difficult for the communities of the Lake District and Cumbria. Please don’t rush to visit us.”
Mr Johnson also announced the phased reopening of shops and the introduction of some pupils back to school in early June.
He said the hospitality industry would begin opening again in July.
However, he stressed all easing of restrictions was subject to keeping the transmission rate of the virus low and could be reversed.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said: “What the nation was looking for this evening was clarity and consensus.
“The truth is, the prime minister’s statement raises more questions than it answers. Those questions need answering if the public is going to have confidence in what happens next.”