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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Coronavirus: Scotland could have different exit from lockdown | Coronavirus: Scotland could have different exit from lockdown |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Nicola Sturgeon says Scotland could have a different exit from the Covid-19 lockdown if she felt the UK government had taken "premature" decisions. | Nicola Sturgeon says Scotland could have a different exit from the Covid-19 lockdown if she felt the UK government had taken "premature" decisions. |
| The first minster told the BBC she would do what she judged best to protect Scotland's population. | The first minster told the BBC she would do what she judged best to protect Scotland's population. |
| But Ms Sturgeon added she would not take a different path "for the sake of it". | But Ms Sturgeon added she would not take a different path "for the sake of it". |
| "It's not political in any way, shape or form," she told BBC One's Andrew Marr Show. | "It's not political in any way, shape or form," she told BBC One's Andrew Marr Show. |
| A total of 1,249 people have died after testing positive for coronavirus in Scotland, according to the latest Scottish government data. | |
| Statistics published on Sunday showed that another 18 people had died with virus, though the actual number of deaths is much higher. | |
| The UK's total hospital death toll of those infected with Covid-19 passed 20,000 on Saturday. | The UK's total hospital death toll of those infected with Covid-19 passed 20,000 on Saturday. |
| The first minister said lifting lockdown measures that have been in place since 23 March and renewed for a further three weeks on 16 April would not be the "flick of a switch". | The first minister said lifting lockdown measures that have been in place since 23 March and renewed for a further three weeks on 16 April would not be the "flick of a switch". |
| "As we do start to ease them, there will be a real need for caution and a slow, gradual process," she said. | "As we do start to ease them, there will be a real need for caution and a slow, gradual process," she said. |
| Asked by Andrew Marr if she would like to close the border between England and Scotland so she could pursue a different strategy, Ms Sturgeon said she had no power to do that. | Asked by Andrew Marr if she would like to close the border between England and Scotland so she could pursue a different strategy, Ms Sturgeon said she had no power to do that. |
| "I don't have the power to close borders but these are discussions of course we want to continue to have with the UK government," she said. | "I don't have the power to close borders but these are discussions of course we want to continue to have with the UK government," she said. |
| "On this question of will Scotland do things differently - not for the sake of it we won't. Only if the evidence and our judgement tells us that that is necessary. | "On this question of will Scotland do things differently - not for the sake of it we won't. Only if the evidence and our judgement tells us that that is necessary. |
| "If the UK government took decisions that I thought were premature in terms of coming out of the lockdown, than clearly I would want to make sure that Scotland did what I judged was best to protect the population." | "If the UK government took decisions that I thought were premature in terms of coming out of the lockdown, than clearly I would want to make sure that Scotland did what I judged was best to protect the population." |
| Ms Sturgeon told the BBC it was important to have simple and consistent social distancing measures across the UK as the virus "doesn't respect borders or boundaries". | Ms Sturgeon told the BBC it was important to have simple and consistent social distancing measures across the UK as the virus "doesn't respect borders or boundaries". |
| She added: "I think that's still the starting point but I think we all have to take decisions that we judge to be right." | She added: "I think that's still the starting point but I think we all have to take decisions that we judge to be right." |
| Speaking later on the same programme, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab told Andrew Marr there would not be a "binary easing up of measures", but careful steps to find a "new normal". | Speaking later on the same programme, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab told Andrew Marr there would not be a "binary easing up of measures", but careful steps to find a "new normal". |
| "We need to take a sure-footed way forward that protects life but also ensures our way of life," he said. | "We need to take a sure-footed way forward that protects life but also ensures our way of life," he said. |
| Mr Raab, who has been deputising for Boris Johnson while he recovers from coronavirus, said social distancing measures would be "with us for some time". | Mr Raab, who has been deputising for Boris Johnson while he recovers from coronavirus, said social distancing measures would be "with us for some time". |
| But he told the BBC it was possible to see how non-essential businesses could adopt measures taken by essential businesses during the lockdown, like spaced queuing. | But he told the BBC it was possible to see how non-essential businesses could adopt measures taken by essential businesses during the lockdown, like spaced queuing. |
| He added that the virus should not be allowed to come back for a "second spike" which could result in a second "protracted lockdown" and be bad for public health and the economy. | He added that the virus should not be allowed to come back for a "second spike" which could result in a second "protracted lockdown" and be bad for public health and the economy. |