NICOLA Sturgeon today slammed the brakes on her lockdown roadmap for most parts of Scotland.
The First Minister said plans to ease places such as Edinburgh from Level 2 to Level 1 will be paused to “err on the side of caution”.
By keeping 14 out of 22 local councils in the higher tier she has essentially split the country down the middle.
It is in stark contrast to Boris Johnson who sees the pandemic as a “national endeavour” and wants to unlock all England in unison.
Speaking in Holyrood this afternoon, Mr Sturgeon Edinburgh and Midlothian, Dundee, East Dunbartonshire, Renfrewshire, East Renfrewshire, North, South and East Ayrshire, North and South Lanarkshire, Clackmannanshire and Stirling did not meet the criteria to see restrictions ease.
Ms Sturgeon told MSPs there could even be an argument to move these areas into Level 3 restrictions, given the raw figures, but the impact of the vaccination programme has meant this would not be needed.
“However, it is important to stress that this is a pause, not a step backwards,” the First Minister said.
“And Level 2 is not lockdown. It does have an impact on opening hours of pubs and restaurants and the numbers that can attend certain events.”
She added: “And taking a cautious approach now – while more people get fully vaccinated – gives us the best chance of staying on the right track overall.”
