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UK coronavirus live: Nicola Sturgeon says Boris Johnson lockdown changes not safe for Scotland UK coronavirus live: Nicola Sturgeon says Boris Johnson lockdown changes not safe for Scotland
(32 minutes later)
PM to publish 50-page ‘blueprint’ and address Commons later as Starmer says Johnson’s strategy ‘unravelling’ due to lack of clarityPM to publish 50-page ‘blueprint’ and address Commons later as Starmer says Johnson’s strategy ‘unravelling’ due to lack of clarity
It’s not for me to judge whether these actions are premature for England, Sturgeon said, but insisted actions to ease the lockdown are premature for Scotland.
“I can’t judge the right speed for England, but it is my responsibility to judge the right speed for Scotland.”
Sturgeon said she still wants as much alignment as possible with all four UK nations, but it has to be guided by science and advice as it applies in Scotland.
When Guardian Scotland editor Severin Carrell asked whether Scotland would also be adopting England’s five colour alert system, Sturgeon said she didn’t have a definitive answer yet.
“Ideally, it would be good if the whole of the UK had the same system of phasing, maybe not the same dates and timescales,” Sturgeon said. “We would certainly be very open to looking at what the UK government publishes today.”
Sturgeon said she doesn’t want to play “Russian roulette” with people’s lives in response to Scotland’s different response to the easing of the lockdown.
Sturgeon said the differences in easing the lockdown are not down for political reasons, but factor in the different spread of the virus across the UK.
“I think the prime minister has to make it clearer when he is talking only for England,” Sturgeon said.
“What I don’t think is right for any government to do is to say we’re encouraging people to go back to work who haven’t worked so far before the guidance on what a safe working environment is has been published. That’s the bit that should come first,” Sturgeon said.
When asked about a Scottish resident who works on a construction site in England and been told to return to work, Sturgeon said the position in Scotland has not changed.
“We are saying to businesses that have not been operational so far, we are not encouraging you to get back to work right now,” she added.
Scotland’s R number is between 0.7 to 1, Sturgeon said. She believes that R number has come down from above 3.
Nicola Sturgeon said if you’re coming from England to Scotland for reasons not deemed essential purposes you may be breaking the law.
“If you are in Scotland, the law of Scotland applies and the law states right now you can only be outside of your house right now for essential reason.”
When asked if Scotland is remaining in lockdown because it is slightly behind on the infection curve, Sturgeon said:When asked if Scotland is remaining in lockdown because it is slightly behind on the infection curve, Sturgeon said:
During the presser, Sturgeon specified that in Scotland, people should not be sunbathing or having a picnic during lockdown During the press briefing, Sturgeon specified that in Scotland, people should not be sunbathing or having a picnic during lockdown
Throughout the presser, Sturgeon warned against lifting the lockdown too soon as it would it only result in the country in being in some form of a lockdown for much longer and lead to the loss of many more lives. Throughout the briefing, Sturgeon warned against lifting the lockdown too soon as it would it only result in the country in being in some form of a lockdown for much longer and lead to the loss of many more lives.
Sturgeon called on Scottish people not to be distracted by other messages from other nations within the UK.Sturgeon called on Scottish people not to be distracted by other messages from other nations within the UK.
Sturgeon reiterates that the lockdown measures will remain the same in Scotland. “To combat this virus we still need to stay apart from each other, we still need to stay at home.”Sturgeon reiterates that the lockdown measures will remain the same in Scotland. “To combat this virus we still need to stay apart from each other, we still need to stay at home.”
Nicola Sturgeon said the key message remains the same in Scotland: “Stay at home.” Businesses and schools are not being encouraged to open.Nicola Sturgeon said the key message remains the same in Scotland: “Stay at home.” Businesses and schools are not being encouraged to open.
Speaking of Boris Johnson’s road map to reopen the country, Sturgeon said:Speaking of Boris Johnson’s road map to reopen the country, Sturgeon said:
The second coronavirus bill set to go through Scottish parliament will provide more financial support for carers, Sturgeon said.The second coronavirus bill set to go through Scottish parliament will provide more financial support for carers, Sturgeon said.
In the past 24 hours, five more people have died after contracting the coronavirus in Scotland bringing the total number to 1,862, the first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, said in her daily press briefing.In the past 24 hours, five more people have died after contracting the coronavirus in Scotland bringing the total number to 1,862, the first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, said in her daily press briefing.
She added 13,627 people had now tested positive for the virus in Scotland, a rise of 141 from 13,486 the day before.She added 13,627 people had now tested positive for the virus in Scotland, a rise of 141 from 13,486 the day before.
There are 1,453 people in hospital with confirmed or suspected Covid-19, down 31 from 1,484 the previous day. Of these patients, 80 are in intensive care, a fall of two.There are 1,453 people in hospital with confirmed or suspected Covid-19, down 31 from 1,484 the previous day. Of these patients, 80 are in intensive care, a fall of two.
One of Britain’s biggest undertakers has seen the proportion of clients choosing lower-cost funerals during the coronavirus pandemic triple.One of Britain’s biggest undertakers has seen the proportion of clients choosing lower-cost funerals during the coronavirus pandemic triple.
Dignity, which operates more than 800 funeral locations across the UK, said that in April the proportion of clients choosing a “ simple” funeral jumped to 60% of all services conducted, up from 20% between January and March.Dignity, which operates more than 800 funeral locations across the UK, said that in April the proportion of clients choosing a “ simple” funeral jumped to 60% of all services conducted, up from 20% between January and March.
The company charges up to £3,578 for a full service funeral and about £2,047 for a basic package.The company charges up to £3,578 for a full service funeral and about £2,047 for a basic package.
It said the restrictions on funeral services meant that the average cost of its full service reduced by about £400 in April to £3,150, as it withdrew add-ons such as limousines. The company performed 20,000 funerals in the first quarter this year.It said the restrictions on funeral services meant that the average cost of its full service reduced by about £400 in April to £3,150, as it withdrew add-ons such as limousines. The company performed 20,000 funerals in the first quarter this year.
Overall, Dignity said the average income per funeral fell from £2,648 in the first quarter to £2,200 in April.Overall, Dignity said the average income per funeral fell from £2,648 in the first quarter to £2,200 in April.
The ONS report out today (see 9.54am and 11.24am) also looks at the coronavirus death rate amongst healthcare workers and social care workers.
Although coronavirus deaths amongst NHS workers have (rightly) received a lot of media attention, the ONS says that the death rate amongst this group is about the same as it is amongst the working-age population as a whole. It says:
But social care workers are roughly twice as likely to die from coronavirus as other workers, the figures show.
Here are the figures for men working in social care and healthcare. The thick black line shows the average for working-age men.
And here are the figures for women working in social care and healthcare.
Lockdown fines will remain unchanged in Scotland after the nation’s government found no evidence to suggest an increase was required, PA Media reports.
People found breaking lockdown rules in Scotland will be first fined £30 by police, which rises to £60 if not paid within 28 days. Cumulative fines for repeat offenders are capped at £960.
A Scottish government spokeswoman said:
The boss of British Airways owner said he heard “nothing positive” from the prime minister’s proposal to quarantine people flying into the UK.
In last night’s address to the nation, Boris Johnson said it would “soon be the time” to bring in a quarantine period for air passengers to limit Covid-19 infections from abroad.
Willie Walsh, the chief executive of BA’s parent company, International Airlines Group, said there was “nothing positive” in the address, PA Media reports.
Giving evidence to the Commons transport select committee about the demand for air travel, Walsh said:
Johnson and the French president, Emmanuel Macron ,have agreed that quarantine measures would not apply between France and the UK “at this stage”, according to a joint statement issued after the address.
Walsh admitted he was surprised by the proposal, which did not mention arrivals by sea, and did not make clear whether it would include passengers on internal UK flights or on flights from the Republic of Ireland.
Walsh said:
Brexit trade and future relationship talks resume today with the agenda, below, showing fisheries, level playing field and governance issues centre ground. Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief Brexit negogiator, will give an update on progress on Friday.
The GMB union has described the ONS figures showing raised rates of deaths involving Covid-19 among men in certain occupations (see 11.24am) as “horrifying”.
John Phillips, acting GMB general secretary, said:
Jury trials, suspended in March due to the coronavirus crisis, will resume under new safety conditions in a limited number of crown courts in England and Wales from next week, the lord chief justice has announced.
Lord Burnett of Maldon said the first courts in which juries can be sworn in from 18 May will include the central criminal court at the Old Bailey in London and Cardiff crown court.
Special arrangements to maintain the safety of all participants and the jury have been agreed with the Ministry of Justice in line with Public Health England and Public Health Wales guidelines.
Part-heard trials, suspended due to the pandemic, will begin cases before then “where this can be done safely”, according to the announcement.
The lord chief justice said: “It is important that the administration of justice continues to function whenever it is possible in an environment which is consistent with the safety of all those involved.”
Small numbers of trials are expected to take place initially. Other courts around the country are being assessed for use.
Trials will involve juries being spread out to allow social distancing and the use of a second courtroom linked by closed circuit TV, “to enable reporters and others to watch the proceedings”. The number of jurors has not been reduced and will remain at twelve.
Welcoming the move, the justice secretary, Robert Buckland, said:
Police across the UK have had a nightmare bank holiday weekend trying to police the lockdown, particularly in tourism hotspots — and are now frantically trying to work out what the relaxation of restrictions means for enforcement.
In Cumbria, more than 100 fines were dished out from Friday to Sunday, assistant chief constable Andrew Slattery told the Guardian. “That’s more than we have issued in the entire rest of the lockdown period,” he said.
“That comes down to a number of factors. One, I’m sad to say, is the newspaper headlines on Thursday last week, which very much gave the impression that lockdown was over and set the tone for the weekend. Then we had the hot weather and VE day on Friday, a lot of street parties and people drinking in the street. Our number of incidents doubled on Friday. Then into the weekend we had a large number of people who decided lockdown no longer applied and that they were free to drive the length and breadth of the country and had spurious reasons for doing so.”
He said his force was trying to work out what Boris Johnson’s “soundbite” meant for policing, when the prime minister told the nation on Sunday: “You can sit in the sun in your local park, you can drive to other destinations, you can even play sports but only with members of your own household.”
Slattery said it would be hard to enforce social distancing in the most popular destinations in the Lake District: “If people come en masse to the Lake District next weekend it will make social distancing very difficult if they congregate in the same carparks, go on the same busy footpaths in the honeypot areas,” he said.Latest figures show that Barrow in Furness in west Cumbria has by far the highest infection rate in England with 804 cases per 100,000 people. Lancaster, on the other side of Morecambe Bay in Lancashire, is second with 513 and South Lakeland third with 482.
Almost 30m people watched Boris Johnson’s TV address last night, according to Darren McCaffrey from Euronews.
Turning back to the ONS report showing that lowest paid workers are most at risk of dying from coronavirus (see 9.54am), here are two charts from document showing the death rates from men and women by profession.
Amongst men, who are more at risk of dying from coronavirus than women anyway, low-skilled workers in “elementary occupations”, like construction, cleaning and security, are almost four times as likely to die from coronavirus as professionals.
Amongst women, those in the caring professions are more at risk, but the differences between employee groups is less stark. Carers face nearly twice the risk of dying from coronavirus as the “safest” workforce group, female managers.
Jury trials in England and Wales are to resume from next week, the lord chief justice, Lord Burnett, has announced, according to PA.