Disunited Kingdom! England set to celebrate its Freedom Day
... but Sturgeon keeps brakes on with strict rules that have angered hospitality bosses
THE UK will – from tomorrow – be starkly divided by different coronavirus rules north and south of the Border, sparking a fierce debate about how best to protect both the nation’s health and the economy.
Under Boris Johnson, England will celebrate so-called Freedom Day when almost all restrictions are scrapped.
Ending measures that became commonplace through the pandemic, people there will no longer have to wear masks or practise social distancing, and all rules on gatherings and number limits are being dropped.
In contrast, people in Scotland will still be required to adhere to a complex set of rules as the country officially moves to Nicola Sturgeon’s ‘modified Level 0’.
For Scots, masks will remain mandatory, limits will continue on gatherings and social distancing will remain the norm.
The biggest difference will be in hospitality. While nightclubs, pubs, restaurants and event venues in England are freed from restrictions, in Scotland nightclubs will remain closed, pubs will still have to provide table service only, and theatres will still have to limit the number of tickets they sell.
With the UK in the grip of a third wave of coronavirus, fuelled by the highly transmissible Delta variant, Ms Sturgeon, backed by many in the medical profession, is clear that caution is needed to prevent infections spreading out of control, and to limit the number of hospitalisations and deaths.
But critics argue that untold damage is being done to the economy, which will cause profound and lasting harm to society.
Last week, Ms Sturgeon said: ‘If I am to err, I will always try to err on the side of going more cautiously rather than too quickly, because the consequences of going more cautiously will not be felt in the same loss of
‘I will always err on the side of going more cautiously’
life as the consequences of going too quickly and being irresponsible about it.’
This is at odds with Mr Johnson, who said the success of the vaccine rollout gave him the confidence to ease restrictions tomorrow, asking: ‘If not now, when?’
While Conservatives in Scotland welcome the move here, they believe the pace of restrictions being eased is too slow.
Tory health spokesman Annie Wells said: ‘Public compliance is critical in keeping restrictions in place where necessary, and any longer delay will substantially damage that desire. Hopefully, we will soon be able to return to some kind of normalcy and see a continual easing of restrictions, as outlined in the route map.
‘Scottish businesses and individuals deserve certainty, not the knee-jerk decisions that have become the hallmark of this SNP Government through the crisis.
‘We can be cautious while also safely easing restrictions faster, which will help to protect jobs, family finances and people’s mental health.’
The ongoing restrictions in Scotland were last night criticised by figures in the hospitality industry, which has already endured 18 months of hardship.
Emma McClarkin, CEO of the Scottish Beer and Pub Association, said: ‘It is positive that we are making progress, but it is tremendously frustrating for business owners and operators in Scotland finding themselves behind counterparts in England and at a competitive disadvantage.
‘The recovery process for our sector will not truly begin until all restrictions are lifted. With that not happening until later north of the Border, we run the risk of Scotland’s
recovery being outpaced in other parts of the UK.’
Nightclubs in Scotland will be shut while those in England are set to reopen. Hospitality businesses must also close at midnight here.
Gavin Stevenson, of the Night Time Industry Association Scotland, said it is concerned that these businesses are being ‘penalised’.
He said: ‘It is simply unacceptable for Scottish small businesses to continue suffering greater financial harm, and for many weeks or months longer relative to their counterparts in England.
‘By not allowing businesses to open their full licensed hours at Level 0, and instead imposing yet another curfew, the Scottish Government has again chosen to implement policies that are unsupported by any evidence or science.
‘This will result in yet more business failures and job losses.’
While the Scottish Government advises against non-essential foreign travel and instead to holiday at home, with no more than eight adults from four households allowed to meet indoors, large selfcatering accommodation owners say they are suffering.
Fiona Campbell, chief executive of the Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers, said: ‘It is incredibly disappointing to look over the Border to our colleagues who will soon be able to fully reopen while many of us will continue to trade with one hand tied behind our back.
‘Many of my colleagues, especially those who operate larger properties, are at breaking point. We need the Scottish Government to let us get back to creating memory-making holidays in safe and hygienic settings.’
But infectious diseases expert Professor Mark Woolhouse said England should keep some infection prevention measures. He warned that the insistence by the UK Government that unlocking would be irreversible ‘painted [it] into both a political and public health corner’ should circumstances change. ‘Flexibility is extremely important in the public health response,’ he added.
Linda Bauld, professor of public health at Edinburgh University, said: ‘There definitely are risks associated with this shift to Level 0 – not huge, but they could have an effect on infections. All legal restrictions being lifted in England may have an impact on us.’