New national restrictions in Scotland

[najaB]

Fairly sure Boris is doing that as well

How is his coming to Scotland at the moment - presumably for a photo op - useful for running the country?

 

[takno]

How is his coming to Scotland at the moment - presumably for a photo op - useful for running the country?

How is popping over for a daily press conference, and a few hours doing a job that could be done from home using Skype like the rest of us are expected to, useful for running the country? This is exactly comparable - Sturgeon is a hypocrite

 

[Chester1]

How is popping over for a daily press conference, and a few hours doing a job that could be done from home using Skype like the rest of us are expected to, useful for running the country? This is exactly comparable - Sturgeon is a hypocrite

I don't know about Sturgeon but Boris has had to self isolate more than once. Both jobs can be done from home but are much better done in person and they are the sort of jobs that must be done as well as possible. If he doesn't visit Scotland for a long time he will be labelled a distant foreign ruler, if he visits Scotland and interacts with Scots he is a public health risk... How many times as he travelled north of the wall since the pandemic began? Once?

 

[kez19]

Indeed. Not that I support Sturgeon nor Johnson, but I do not like the anti-English behaviour being portrayed.
--------------------------

Interestingly, as part of the Scottish Government guidance, outdoor recreation is still permitted throughout lockdown.


Is this reflected in the regulations at all, as I was under the impression that it wasn't?

We can play golf? I thought Golf facilities are closed? Looked on Google maps and yep some appear to open at 8am

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 28 Jan 2021 ==

How is his coming to Scotland at the moment - presumably for a photo op - useful for running the country?

You could argue that when Sturgeon went to the Nightingale Hospital in Glasgow sorry correction Louisa Jordan

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 28 Jan 2021 ==

How is popping over for a daily press conference, and a few hours doing a job that could be done from home using Skype like the rest of us are expected to, useful for running the country? This is exactly comparable - Sturgeon is a hypocrite

That’s what I don’t get she could use Skype etc to do these broadcasts but she is able to in an empty box studio nearly everyday, still surprised that the sound quality has never improved and yet this is BBC Scotland (if you want to compare the broadcasts of that of Johnson to Sturgeon)

 

[NE_ABZ]

No, only London and the South East are moving into Tier 4. Areas currently in tier 1, 2 and 3 (that were not moved from 2 to 3 today) are unaffected. Wales were already destined for a nationwide lockdown post-Christmas.

The Scottish blanket approach of level 4 everywhere on the mainland is crazy and ludicrous, particularly in areas such as the Highlands, Moray and maybe even Aberdeen/Aberdeenshire, where there are an (under-)estimated 17 cases of the new "strain" in Scotland, in the Glasgow area.

 

[XAM2175]

I have no affection in the slightest for Mr Johnson but I can't find too much to criticize in a Prime Minister making a few tours of inspection.

I am however somewhat curious as to what he thinks this particular trip is achieving - he knows he's vastly unpopular in Scotland and he's deliberately avoiding any unmanaged public appearances as a result of that fact, even though a stated goal of the trip is to drum up support for the union. Is it then that he's not confident that his "deny all Section 30 requests for ever" strategy will hold, or is it more a case of letting himself be seen to be doing something for the benefit of Tory-backing unionists outside Scotland?

 

[najaB]

How is his coming to Scotland at the moment - presumably for a photo op - useful for running the country?

Seems like it was just for a couple of photo ops.

I have no affection in the slightest for Mr Johnson but I can't find too much to criticize in a Prime Minister making a few tours of inspection.

Thing is, health is a devolved matter so it really isn't in his job description to be doing health-related tours of inspection. If he was up having in-depth discussions with the Scottish Government about the impact of Brexit on the Scottish economy or planning the post-Covid recovery process then I would say the visit was useful. This seems anything but.

 

[kristiang85]

If he didn't the SNP could easily say "The London elite don't care about us up here, look they never visit even in times of crisis. Vote independence!"

And yet when he does, they criticise him breaking the rules.

I don't think any PM would win against that.

 

[Darandio]

The man is doing his job. Suggesting otherwise is petty.

 

[HSTEd]

Seems like it was just for a couple of photo ops.

Thing is, health is a devolved matter so it really isn't in his job description to be doing health-related tours of inspection. If he was up having in-depth discussions with the Scottish Government about the impact of Brexit on the Scottish economy or planning the post-Covid recovery process then I would say the visit was useful. This seems anything but.

Then why have Prime Ministers for years visited schools that answered to the local education authority and thus the council rather than to Westminster?

 

[scotrail158713]

I have been able to amuse myself reading some comments on social media from hardcore nationalists who are furious at Boris Johnson for coming. They do all go quiet when someone questions why Nicola Sturgeon doing the same is fine.

 

[najaB]

Then why have Prime Ministers for years visited schools that answered to the local education authority and thus the council rather than to Westminster?

Because at the end of the day those schools still fall under the auspices of the DfE, even though the day to day decisions are taken at the local level.

 

[PG]

Then why have Prime Ministers for years visited schools that answered to the local education authority and thus the council rather than to Westminster?

Because at the end of the day those schools still fall under the auspices of the DfE, even though the day to day decisions are taken at the local level.

Nothing at all to do with images of PMs with children appealing to potential voters i.e. we care about your children etc...

 

[HSTEd]

Because at the end of the day those schools still fall under the auspices of the DfE, even though the day to day decisions are taken at the local level.

Ultimately the Scottish Parliament answers to Parliament and to Her Majesty's Government.

The day may come when this is not so, but it has not yet come.

 

[najaB]

the Scottish Parliament answers to Parliament and to Her Majesty's Government.

Not on devolved matters.

 

[RomeoCharlie71]

Not on devolved matters.

The vaccine production and rollout is not only a UK-effort, but a global effort.

Purely hypothetical, of course, but if Scotland wasn't part of the Union then would it have access to the same (or better) vaccine supplies as it does currently?

 

[HSTEd]

Not on devolved matters.

Ultimately Scotland only does not currently actively answer to Parliament on devolved matters because Parliament wills it be so pursuant to the Scotland Acts

Ultimately if Parliament Commands, they must answer.
And as the Scotland Acts are not protected under the Civil Contingencies Act, in extremis they must answer to Her Majesty's Government.

 

[najaB]

Purely hypothetical, of course, but if Scotland wasn't part of the Union then would it have access to the same (or better) vaccine supplies as it does currently?

That's a difficult one to answer. One assumes that an independent Scotland would be an EU member state, so would be facing the same shortages. But so much else would be different that it's impossible to say for sure.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 28 Jan 2021 ==

And as the Scotland Acts are not protected under the Civil Contingencies Act, in extremis they must answer to Her Majesty's Government.

And when we have a PM visiting a school for a photo shoot in the middle of a major terrorist attack or while the country is dealing with a volcanic eruption that will be a relevant point.

 

[Butts]

That's a difficult one to answer. One assumes that an independent Scotland would be an EU member state, so would be facing the same shortages. But so much else would be different that it's impossible to say for sure.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 28 Jan 2021 ==


And when we have a PM visiting a school for a photo shoot in the middle of a major terrorist attack or while the country is dealing with a volcanic eruption that will be a relevant point.

That's a dangerous assumption to make regarding being an EU Member State ... would they let us back in without a prolonged application process ?

What would be different ?

 

[najaB]

That's a dangerous assumption to make regarding being an EU Member State ... would they let us back in without a prolonged application process ?

The long application process is intended to give the prospective member state time to align to EU standards and norms.

Seeing as we're already aligned it's been suggested that our (re)joining could be completed on an accelerated schedule.

 

[92002]

The long application process is intended to give the prospective member state time to align to EU standards and norms.

Seeing as we're already aligned it's been suggested that our (re)joining could be completed on an accelerated schedule.

To be quite correct, it's against the law in Scotland to leave your local council area. Let alone cross the border to England.

Perhaps a fine could follow his breaking of the Level 4 rules. Which in Scotland are really level 5. They have a level 0 too.

Was his journey really necessary. The short answer is a resounding no. Unless he picked up essential; food shopping he should have stayed at home. Like everybody else in Scotland.

 

[221129]

To be quite correct, it's against the law in Scotland to leave your local council area. Let alone cross the border to England.

Perhaps a fine could follow his breaking of the Level 4 rules. Which in Scotland are really level 5. They have a level 0 too.

Was his journey really necessary. The short answer is a resounding no. Unless he picked up essential; food shopping he should have stayed at home. Like everybody else in Scotland.

You mean the same as Nicola Sturgeon does every day? It is allowed in law to travel between England and Scotland and around Scotland for work purposes. So he didn't commit any offences.

 

[najaB]

It is allowed in law to travel between England and Scotland and around Scotland for work purposes. So he didn't commit any offences.

It's debatable if the trip to Scotland was actual Prime Ministerial work, or if it was for party political reasons.

 

[Mag_seven]

It's debatable if the trip to Scotland was actual Prime Ministerial work, or if it was for party political reasons.

It will be interesting to see how many times Ian Blackford is seen in person in the House of Commons over the next few weeks.

 

[takno]

It's debatable if the trip to Scotland was actual Prime Ministerial work, or if it was for party political reasons.

It's debatable whether the daily press conferences are for actual First Ministerial work, or whether Sturgeon has just grown to love watching herself on the telly box.

This particular attack on Boris by the SNP has backfired fairly spectacularly with most people outside their base as far as I can see. It requires people to see Sturgeon as the hero she clearly sees herself as being, rather than the just-another-whining-politician that a lot of other people see

 

[najaB]

It's debatable whether the daily press conferences are for actual First Ministerial work, or whether Sturgeon has just grown to love watching herself on the telly box.

Not really. Press updates clearly fall within the bounds of governmental work.

 

[RomeoCharlie71]

Not really. Press updates clearly fall within the bounds of governmental work.

Can they not be carried out from home, or at least some of them?

John Swinney managed perfectly well on Tuesday.

 

[najaB]

Can they not be carried out from home, or at least some of them?

Quite possibly, but I don't know how the Scottish Government TV production system is configured. However, I strongly suspect that the press conference isn't the only thing she does with her day.

 

[RomeoCharlie71]

Quite possibly, but I don't know how the Scottish Government TV production system is configured. However, I strongly suspect that the press conference isn't the only thing she does with her day.

I would assume you won't be privy to the day-to-day activities of Ms Sturgeon, but what kinds of activities are you referring to, that she might do daily, that require her physical attendance in Edinburgh?

Was it appropriate for her to visit the Western General Hospital, which was in level 3 at the time of her visit, to see "preparations for the vaccine rollout"? Because it seemed to me like just a photo-op. Why does she have the authority to go looking round hospitals for a photo-op when families can't visit their loved-ones?

 

[takno]

Quite possibly, but I don't know how the Scottish Government TV production system is configured. However, I strongly suspect that the press conference isn't the only thing she does with her day.

Meetings. She should try Zoom. It's terrible, but it might give her some insight into why work-from-home isn't working for the rest of the population