Scottish Central Belt moves out of lockdown amid calls for clarity on levels decision-making

Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed large swathes of the Central Belt including Glasgow will no longer be subject to the strictest level of Covid-19 restrictions from Friday as she faced criticism for the decision to keep Edinburgh in level three.

The First Minister’s decision to leave the capital in level three despite the Scottish Government's own framework for the levels system suggesting it should be in level two was criticised by local politicians.

It came as other level three areas – Inverclyde, Angus, and Falkirk – drop to level two, with the Borders and Dumfries and Galloway being downgraded to level one.

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Speaking of “proportionate, but still cautious” decision making, Ms Sturgeon said “detailed discussions” on Edinburgh had taken place with the threat of increased numbers of people Christmas shopping a key driver to keep the city in level three.

Police Scotland officers wearing PPE. Picture: John DevlinPolice Scotland officers wearing PPE. Picture: John Devlin
Police Scotland officers wearing PPE. Picture: John Devlin

The announcement of the change in tiers came on the same day education secretary John Swinney cancelled the Highers and Advanced Highers exam diet in 2021, announcing the qualifications would be awarded using the same method developed for the previously cancelled National 5 exams.

The Scottish Government is also facing potential legal action over its handling of Covid-19 in care homes during the pandemic, with health secretary Jeane Freeman agreeing to cross-party talks to resolve the issues being raised by Scottish Labour MSP Neil Findlay.

It also followed the first Covid-19 vaccinations being administered in Scotland, meaning the end of the pandemic is potentially in sight.

Explaining the lack of movement in the Scottish capital, Ms Sturgeon said cases had risen slightly in the city in recent days along with a similar rise in East Lothian and Midlothian.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon during a ministerial statement in the Scottish Parliament where she announced a change in levels for areas in ScotlandFirst Minister Nicola Sturgeon during a ministerial statement in the Scottish Parliament where she announced a change in levels for areas in Scotland
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon during a ministerial statement in the Scottish Parliament where she announced a change in levels for areas in Scotland

She said: “The imminence of the Christmas period has also had an impact on our thinking. A move to level two in Edinburgh would mean opening up significantly more services in Scotland’s second biggest city in the two weeks before Christmas.

"That move would carry significant risk of increased transmission. For that reason, we want as much assurance as possible that the situation is as stable as possible before making that move.

“For that reason, and this has been a difficult decision, we have decided not to move Edinburgh to level two this week, but we will consider this again next week.”

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However, Edinburgh Southern MSP Daniel Johnson and Edinburgh South MP Ian Murray criticised the decision, labelling it a “hammer blow”.

He said: “Across all measures, Edinburgh should have been lowered to tier two. But SNP ministers chose, however, to ignore the advice from their own experts and maintain current restrictions with no clear justification."

Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard pushed the First Minister on apparent contradictions in the decision-making process for the levels, labelling some choices "difficult to understand”.

Calling for more evidence to back the Scottish Government’s position, Mr Leonard said public compliance “operates on the basis of public trust”.

In response to calls for an assurance for no ‘U-turn’ on the decisions, Ms Sturgeon said the Scottish public would take a “dim view" if she was seen to be making decisions regardless of the trajectory of the virus.

The First Minister said the decisions being made were “complex” and were being made to reduce the chance of another rise in cases.

Her announcement means the areas moving from level four to level three include East Ayrshire, South Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire, West Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, Renfrewshire, Glasgow, North Lanarkshire, South Lanarkshire, Stirling and West Lothian.

Level three areas will include Edinburgh, Clackmannanshire, Dundee City, Perth and Kinross, Fife, Midlothian and North Ayrshire, with level two including Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Angus, Falkirk, Inverclyde, Argyll and Bute, and East Lothian.

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The areas in level one will cover Highland, Moray, Orkney, Shetland, the Western Isles, Dumfries and Galloway and the Borders.

In response to a question from the co-leader of the Scottish Greens, Patrick Harvie, Ms Sturgeon said the Scottish Government was analysing the efficacy of the levels system.

She said there was some evidence that some of the restrictions in place were working better in more rural areas than urban areas, and that this was being reviewed by public health experts within the Scottish Government.

Other than Aberdeen, no major population centre above 100,000 people is below level three.

The First Minister said the “fine details” could change, along with a shift on hospitality rules to provide more freedom for businesses to operate.

She said: “We think that overall the levels system are reasonably effective, but we will be reviewing the fine details of these over the next couple of weeks.

"We think, for example, that there might be a differential effect in the impact of the levels between urban and rural areas and the same level of restrictions may not have the same impact in a urban area as they will in a rural area.

"We are also looking at whether the restrictions on hospitality could be modified in any way to get the same effect while making things easier for hospitality; changing the hours of restriction, allowing alcohol at other times of day."

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However, the Scottish Licensed Trade Association (SLTA) criticised the levels announcement and complained the hospitality industry was being used as a “sacrificial lamb”.

Chris Wilkinson, SLTA managing director, said: “Many operators even in levels two and three areas have already been forced to close down their businesses as it is simply unviable to operate with the current restrictions on the sale of alcohol, capacity levels and the operating times that are currently in place.

"The Scottish Government needed to lessen these to give some kind of hope for the industry as we head into our fourth winter period in January.

"It is obvious that the licensed hospitality sector is being held up as the sacrificial lamb due to the inability to control the spread of the virus in other sectors and in private homes.

"The Scottish Government must therefore provide proper financial compensation before it’s too late.”

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