Sturgeon slams ‘shambolic’ UK government on air bridges
Andrew Hirst
The First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has slammed the UK government’s “shambolic” decision making when explaining the delays on agreeing “air bridges” with other countries.
The Scottish and UK governments have been at loggerheads over the list of countries from which travellers could be admitted with no quarantine requirement.
During today’s lunchtime briefing, Ms Sturgeon explained why it had been “really quite challenging” coming to a position on the UK’s proposals.
She said there had been a “shifting sand” of the UK’s position – with daily changes in the list of countries which would be allowed.
“We cannot allow ourselves to be dragged along my another’ government’s shambolic decision making process” she added.
Ms Sturgeon stressed she wanted Scotland to be an “open and welcoming country”.
However, she said that as the prevalence of Covid-19 was around five times greater in England than in Scotland, there were likely to be differences between the countries considered safe to form bridges with.
While she said she felt the UK government’s list of “low risk” countries could be quickly agreed, she said those deemed ‘medium risk” may require more scrutiny.
She said this would happen in the next couple of days.
Meanwhile, to people who are keen to book her holidays, she advised: “If you are desperate to book your summer holidays, why not think about booking it in Scotland, she said.
“Give some support to our own tourism sector at at time when they’ve never need the support more.”
The UK transport secretary Grant Shapps yesterday blamed Ms Sturgeon for the delay on air bridges, which he hopes to implement by 10th July.
John M Scott
I wondered when the political bickering would restart, and Sturgeon hasn’t disappointed in trying to tell the rest of the United Kingdom how to come out of lockdown by making cheap jibes at our national government in Westminster, in spite of the fact that Scotland will no doubt follow the rest of the country.
The reason why cases of Covid-19 have been five times higher in England than Scotland is simply down to the difference in population sizes; that isn’t rocket science.
It is worth remembering that the brunt of the costs of lockdown, including the massive cash injections into the furlough schemes for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, have been largely underwritten by tax payers in England.
The current pandemic has clearly demonstrated why being part of a “United Kingdom” is so vital to the economic well-being of all the constituent parts.
Cy Lieberman
The whole thing sounds fishy to me.
Marie Williamson
No actually the difference between the two countries was calculated “Average per head of population” 😊
ali Inkster
Considering scotland under rule by sturgeons snp is testing at a far lower rate than either England, Wales or Northern Ireland. It is hardly surprising that they have a lower incidence of +ve cases.
Test less get less cases test more get more cases.
But let’s be honest at a little over 500000 deaths worldwide we have locked down and destroyed western economies for a mild flu.
If folk were to stop and think about it there would be a revolution.
ali Inkster
The difference between the regions of the UK is entirely due to the lack of testing in sturgeons scotland. Less testing means less +ve results.