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01/07 Scottish Coronavirus briefing thread.
After creating constitutional division by intimating that English people could be quarantined at the border, I expect NS to u-turn massively on this.
Let's see.
After creating constitutional division by intimating that English people could be quarantined at the border, I expect NS to u-turn massively on this.
Let's see.
There have been less deaths in Scotland this week than the rolling average of the last 5 years. This is why we cannot look at death tolls in isolation. We need to look long-term.
NS says she hopes to be able to confirm going ahead with the phase 2 changes tomorrow. Why doesn't she just confirm them today (or last week)? Seems determined to provide no certainty for business for as long as possible.
She keeps talking about 'tomorrow's annoncements'. There is absolutely no need for her to be at this briefing today. Jason Leitch would have been fine.
Sounds like they have found a cluster of Covid in Dumfries. This explains perfectly why all this talk of closing the border is nonsense. The invisible border on our island means nothing. Local lockdowns across the UK, no matter which country of the UK, will be the way ahead.
We are getting a 'cross-border' incident management team for this cluster in Dumfries.
Alarm bells.
Alarm bells.
Jason Leitch is doing well here. At least he is sounding positive and in control. A welcome change from the doommonger herself.
She is being asked about what Alister Jack said today in the Commons and her face is like...
He said talk of quarantining English people was irresponsible and undermined business and he's right!
Boris Johnson called her rhetoric 'astonishing and shameful' and he is also right.
Apparently Boris Johnson and Alister Jack are 'absurd and ridiculous' for having the temerity to suggest she is playing politics.
She is very keen to say any and all decisions are taken from a public health perspective. I would be happy to take her at her word if she hadn't spent the last few weeks sniping and making snide remarks couched in velvet.
She is saying that Boris Johnson trying to 'politicise these things is shameful and unacceptable'. This is the SNP modus operandi.
Accuse the other side of disgraceful behaviours that they themselves have been exhibiting.
Accuse the other side of disgraceful behaviours that they themselves have been exhibiting.
NS is saying that New York is preventing other areas of the US coming in to prevent spread, somehow using it to try and justify her position.
No-one is saying that we shouldn't have local lockdowns. If she wanted to put this border stuff to bed, she could do it right now.
No-one is saying that we shouldn't have local lockdowns. If she wanted to put this border stuff to bed, she could do it right now.
She is saying that the advice she is getting is that quarantining people from outwith Scotland may become necessary. She is doubling down. The tourist industry were on life support. Has she just pulled the plug?
She says 'anybody you hear trying to turn this into a proxy constitutional debate about independence is reckless and are failing the public health test'.
Save it people because surely this means her supporters who are the majority behaving this way.
Save it people because surely this means her supporters who are the majority behaving this way.
Another Q on the cross-border constitutional row. NS lets out a long sigh of disgust. It's her supporters who are signing the ridiculous petition. She needs to address them.
Apparently, we need to take a long hard look at ourselves. Chief Mammy has spoken. Take 100 lines and go to the back of the class naughty subjects.
She says those who are trying to turn this into a political constitutional row are frankly disgraceful.
That's all her hardcore Indy supporters then.
That's all her hardcore Indy supporters then.
I've never seen her so riled. She is taking the high ground but ultimately, there need never have been talk of closing the border. Local lockdowns were all she needed to say as per UK policy. But she didn't, so don't give us the Paddington stare now lady.
I wish a journalist would ask her 'what do you say to those people signing a petition to close the border between Scotland and England'. That would be a killer question.
Hugh Pennington thought any quarantine between UK countries would be impossible to police. Most people know that to be fair. She is being asked how she would police it, but she doesn't answer. This border issue is starting to be a big problem, highlighting some nasty Nationalism.
NS saying that if she had to enforce quarantine, she would lay out the 'practical measures' necessary. This is insane talk. It can only mean policing the border or it wouldn't work surely?
Almost every single journo asking about quarantine. This is not going away.
Boris said 'there is no such border between England and Scotland' and that 'no talk of border closures' had been discussed. She doesn't deny that there have been no discussions about it. She says any decisions would be for Scot Gov to take. Not sure about that at all.
She said that saying there is no border between Scotland and England is an absurd statement by Boris. There is certainly no hard border or border with infrastructure. It is a geographical border only.
Wow well, this is turning into quite the row.
Scotland is not a separate country yet. We are all one nation.
Scotland is not a separate country yet. We are all one nation.
All of these rows and discussions should only have been occuring if Scotland had voted 'Yes' in 2014.
We voted to remain part of the UK. We aren't separate. The UK Gov needs to look at strategy with regard to Scotland urgently.
We voted to remain part of the UK. We aren't separate. The UK Gov needs to look at strategy with regard to Scotland urgently.
To sum up, Nicola Sturgeon could do two things to protect Scottish industry, if she really wanted to:
1. Rule out a blanket quarantine which would be impossible and unenforceable anyway
2. Tell her supporters to stop signing that petition and bleating about independence.
1. Rule out a blanket quarantine which would be impossible and unenforceable anyway
2. Tell her supporters to stop signing that petition and bleating about independence.
Oh and I was wrong. She didn't u-turn yet but IMO, it's only a matter of time before she must.
And a final photo to finish off and to sum up today's event in pictoral fashion...
