Coronavirus levels update: millions of Scots set to have rules eased

People who've been living under Scotland's toughest coronavirus restrictions will see them relaxed on Friday.

Eleven council areas, including West Lothian, have been in level four of the Scottish Government's coronavirus framework for nearly three weeks.

But there's anger in Edinburgh, after the First Minister confirmed the city will stay in level three.

Politicians in the capital had hoped low rates of the illness would see the city would move to level two.

Announcing the decision at the Scottish Parliament, Nicola Sturgeon said: "In reaching decisions today, we have had to consider the potential overall impact of moving to a lower level of restrictions at the same time as the Christmas period begins in earnest.

"That has led us to a proportionate but still cautious set of conclusions."

The First Minister blamed the prospect of Christmas for the decision not to ease restrictions in Edinburgh, something which will be reviewed next week.

She said: "The imminence of the Christmas period has had an impact on our thinking.

"A move to level two in Edinburgh would mean opening up significantly more services in our second-biggest city in the two weeks before Christmas.

"That move would carry significant risk of increased transmission."

Nicola Sturgeon also cited a recent rise in cases in the city, as well as in Midlothian and East Lothian.

Some of the key points announced in the review:

• West Lothian, along with the 10 other level four areas, will move to level three as planned on Friday at 6pm

• Falkirk will move from level three to level two

• Edinburgh, Fife, Midlothian and Clackmannanshire remain in level three

• East Lothian remains in level two

Edinburgh South MP Ian Murray described the decision on the capital's level as a 'hammer blow'

He said: "“Edinburgh went into a ‘16 day’ targeted lockdown on October 9. We are now at day 60 with no logical explanation of how and when Edinburgh moves to a lower tier.

“The announcement that the capital will remain at tier three, despite widely trailing a move to tier two, is a hammer blow for businesses and jobs at the most important time of the year.

“This is compounded by the SNP Government’s failure to offer adequate support for employers, even though up to £1billion in funding it has received from the UK Government remains unallocated.

“People in Edinburgh have sacrificed much to ensure that our infection levels have remained low, and there is an overall downwards trend.

“Everyone must continue to follow the guidelines, but in return the government must deliver its side of the bargain – greater support for employers and a functioning Test and Protect system.

“If that system was working, we would know where infections are happening and deal with that, rather than keeping the entire city at tier three on a tier two level of infection rates.”

Edinburgh Council Leader Adam McVey said: “I’m extremely disappointed. Our numbers are stable and have now been consistently within the rates of level two for some time.

"We know what a dire situation local businesses continue to face and the latest news will be yet another blow in the lead-up to the Christmas period – which should be their busiest time of the year.

"I’ve been strongly pressing for Edinburgh’s case to move to a lower level of restrictions when safe to do so. The data suggest that time should have been now."

The leader of Midlothian Council meanwhile said the decision to keep level three restrictions there was 'devastating'.

In a joint statement, Councillor Derek Milligan and the Cabinet Member for Communities, Councillor Russell Imrie said: “We have been fighting hard for Midlothian to move into level 2 and today’s announcement makes no sense at all. It was not what we were expecting. To top it all, we were not informed officially and only found out by listening to the First Minister’s speech in Parliament. Clearly partnership working has not happened on this occasion.

"Our businesses and communities have worked hard to abide by the measures in place to help drive down the pace of this virus. To now be told that we are remaining in level 3 is devastating news for them.”

Across Scotland, 33 coronavirus deaths and 692 positive tests have been recorded in the past 24 hours.

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