‘Holding Scotland back!’ Nicola Sturgeon savaged over SNP Covid-19 restrictions stance

Douglas Ross: Restrictions will ‘hold Scotland’s recovery back’

Nicola Sturgeon has been grilled by Scottish Conservative leader Douglass Ross over the timing of Scotland’s easing of coronavirus restrictions. Ms Sturgeon has announced that essentially all Covid related rules will be lifted in Scotland from Monday, August 9 three weeks after Boris Johnson lifted all similar restrictions in England. Mr Ross slammed the slow pace of change north of the border and warned the SNP risked holding back Scotland’s recovery from the pandemic.

Mr Ross said: “Overall today’s statement is a mixed bag.

“It takes some welcome steps in the right direction but these ongoing restrictions will hold Scotland’s recovery back.

“When Scotland moved to level zero some people were rightly confused because level zero implies no restrictions yet many restrains remained in place.

“We have now moved beyond level zero again many people would rightly assume this would mean that Covid restrictions have been dropped but still curbs remain in place.”

Nicola Sturgeon blasted for ‘holding back Scotland’s recovery’ with pace of lockdown easing (Image: Getty)

Douglas Ross says Nicola Sturgeon’s new restrictions will ‘hold Scotland’s recovery back’ (Image: Sky News)

He continued: “Yet again the goalposts have been moved.

“We are beyond level zero at level minus one or level minus two and still the government is holding onto large parts of people’s lives.

“Events still have capacity restraints, the threat of local lockdowns and travel bans remain.

“The Government appears to be u-turning on Covid status certification, home working is still being enforced and social distancing is in a very grey area.”

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It came as Ms Sturgeon told MSPs: “This change is significant and hard-earned.

“The sacrifices everyone has made over the past year-and-a-half can never be overstated.

“However, while this move will restore a substantial degree of normality, it is important to be clear that it does not signal the end of the pandemic or a return to life exactly as we knew it before Covid struck.

“Declaring freedom from, or victory over, this virus is premature.

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 “The harm the virus can do, including through the impact of long Covid, should not be underestimated.

“And its ability to mutate may yet pose us real challenges,” continued the First Minister.

“So even as we make this move today, care and caution will still be required.

“And that is why I want to focus now on the protections and guidance that will remain in place after August 9.”