'I wonder if you are on the naughty list this year' - Child hits out at latest Covid rules in letter addressed to Nicola Sturgeon

A ten-year-old girl has taken aim at Scotland’s border restrictions over the festive period in a letter addressed to the First Minister herself.

Molly Taylor, who lives in Staffordshire, had planned to make the trip to see her grandparents in East Lothian for the day when the nation announced travel restrictions would be eased on 25 December.

But following the First Minister's conference on Saturday about a new Covid-19 variant spreading across the South East of England and London, the Scottish Government has cancelled cross border travel on Christmas Day.

In her letter, Molly blasts Ms Sturgeon saying it is not fair that people in Scotland are allowed to drive anywhere in the country to see relatives on 25 December while she is unable to visit her grandparents because of a border.

Molly, 10, with her letter addressed to Nicola Sturgeon picture: supplied

"As you have said in the past, Covid does not stop at borders, so why close them?” she said.

“It just proves a little more that you hate the English and this is very offensive to me.”

The young girl goes on to urge Scotland’s leader to readdress the border control rule on Christmas day and to “make a decision to turn this around” so that, like other children across the country, she can see her relatives too.

Molly also raises concerns about the mental health and wellbeing of citizens saying “Covid is not going away just like the flu, so we need to just live our lives now.”

Molly, 10, with her letter addressed to Nicola Sturgeon where she asks the First Minister to relax cross border rules on Christmas day so that she can see her grandparents picture: supplied

Here is Molly’s letter in full:

"Dear Nicola,

“I wonder if you are on the naughty list this year! I am so upset with your new rules: why is it fair that you can see your mum on Christmas Day but my mum an't see hers or I can’t see my Granny and Granda who I have not seen since August?

“All tiers were to be taken away for Christmas Day so why have you closed the borders? Why can someone see their granny five hours away in Scotland or in England but because mine is over the border, I can't see her?

“It just proves a little more that you hate the English and this is very offensive to me.

“Covid is not going away just like the flu, so we need to just live our lives now, go to school, go on holiday, mix with friends and family...You can’t keep us in our bubbles forever!

“Please can you look at the border problem again? As you have said in the past, Covid does not stop at borders, so why close them? It is mad; we are meant to be a United Kingdom – and at the moment it doesn’t look like it! Please let us know as soon as possible.

“You managed to mess up everyone’s Christmas in a few days so can you quickly make a decision to turn this around. Also, mental health for people has become worse over the last few years, so building up hope just to break it down again will probably have made suicide and depression percentages higher than usual.

“Wishing you and your family who you will see a very merry and safe Christmas!

“Molly – age 10.”

Travel rules between Scotland and rest of UK

Current guidance on the Scottish Government website about travel between Scotland and the rest of the UK reads: “Under current Scottish law, given the state of the epidemic in these countries, unless you have a reasonable excuse (see exceptions) you must not travel between Scotland and: England, Northern Ireland, Wales, County Donegal in the Republic of Ireland and Jersey”