Keep up-to-date with the latest developments in Scotland and the wider UK.
Coronavirus in Scotland LIVE: Friday, October 2, 2020
Key Events
- 775 new cases in Scotland
- 4 confirmed deaths in last 24 hours
- FM calls for Margaret Ferrier to quit
- Donald Trump tests positive for coronavirus
Donald Trump’s coronavirus diagnosis has “thrown a wrench” in the current president’s re-election campaign, an expert has said.
Julie Norman, a lecturer at University College London’s Centre on US politics, said Mr Trump’s diagnosis may not have surprised many people following his campaign.
She told the PA news agency: “I think for anyone who has been watching Trump and following his actions during the course of the pandemic – the fact that he has been hosting and going to large gatherings, he has not been wearing a mask – we know those things certainly increase the risk for someone to contract Covid.
“So the fact that he did, I guess, should not be too surprising, but the news certainly was a surprise for most people I think this morning.”
The US president’s diagnosis comes only weeks before US election day on November 3 and in a “very tumultuous week” for the race, Dr Norman said.
As Mr Trump will need to self isolate for the next 10 days, all campaign events will have to be cancelled or held remotely for what effectively amounts to a third of the remaining time before election day.
“This really does throw a wrench in everything, it’s unclear how the future of the campaign will look for Trump,” she added.
Scotland has recorded four new coronavirus deaths in the past 24 hours, Nicola Sturgeon has announced, and the number of cases has now passed 30,000.
Nicola SturgeonIt is not the fault of the testing system that somebody did not know that when they had tested positive they should not get on a train.
Willie Rennie, Scottish Lib Dem leaderI am very angry as well because every time this happens in public life, whether it is Catherine Calderwood or Dominic Cummings and now Margaret Ferrier, it just chips away at the coherence of the message and compliance from the public.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has again called for MP SNP Margaret Ferrier to resign after she travelled from London to Scotland when knowing she had tested positive for coronavirus.
Ms Sturgeon made the announcement during her daily Covid-19 briefing to the nation during which she said how “angry” she was on behalf of the country in response to Ms Ferrier’s actions.
She said she has spoken with the MP for Hamilton in person making it “crystal clear” that she thinks Ms Ferrier should resign.
Read her full comments on the scandal here.
Nicola Sturgeon said she understood that seeing others break the coronavirus rules makes people “angry” but issued a plea for Scots to follow the guidance.
Nicola SturgeonI know I say this every day, but I feel a particular responsibility to say it today. I know how hard it is for everybody to follow these rules right now. I know how angry people feel when they see others not following these rules. So please do that for yourselves, your friends and family, your loved ones and for your community as a whole.
The Mary Erskine School has today confirmed that one pupil has tested positive for Covid-19.
One of the UK’s oldest girls boarding schools, The Mary Erskine School in Ravelston, Edinburgh remains open to staff and pupils but confirmed earlier today that they did have a single positive case of Covid-19.
Read the full story here.