Covid-19: Scotland breaks from UK with public consultation

Bloomberg

Scotland broke with the UK government to set out what needs to happen before the nationwide lockdown imposed to limit the spread of the coronavirus can be lifted.
It is time for a “grown up” conversation with the country, Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon told reporters in Edinburgh on Thursday, days after UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock ruled out discussing when and how the government will lift restrictions that have seen shops and businesses closed.
“I can’t promise you that it is going to get a whole lot easier soon,” she said. “We want to ease restrictions — of course we do — but we cannot absolutely rule out having to reapply some of them in future should we have evidence that the virus is again running out of control.”
The publication of the 24-page strategy from the pro-independence administration in Edinburgh marks a significant depature from Prime Miinster Boris Johnson’s Conservative government in London.
The UK has set out five tests for lifting the lockdown, though hasn’t produced a detailed strategy because of concern doing so would encourage people to ignore the restrictions.
Scotland and the rest of the UK have tackled the pandemic broadly in lockstep, though cracks have been emerging. As some ministers in London mooted the idea of easing the stay-at-home policy in May and even children returning to school, the Scottish government stuck with the line they will remain for the foreseeable future.
While Scotland aims to continue in following the UK in combating the outbreak, the country will diverge from the rest of the country if that’s deemed appropriate, the government said in its consultation document.