Prime Minister says different lockdown measures across the UK should be short-term
Boris Johnson insists defeating the virus and taking on the challenge of recovery must be faced “together”
Boris Johnson has said any different approaches to easing lockdown measures across the UK shouldn’t be for the long term.
Addressing MPs in the Commons, the Prime Minister acknowledged that a “flexible response” to Covid-19 is needed for the home nations.
But he insisted that defeating the virus and taking on the challenge of recovery must be faced “together”.
It comes after the UK Government outlined its new “stay alert” message, while the first ministers of Scotland and Wales, Nicola Sturgeon and Mark Drakeford, urged the public to stick with the “stay at home” message.
Mr Johnson told the Commons on Monday: “The Government is today submitting to the House a plan which is conditional and dependent, as always, on the common sense and observance of the British people and on continual reassessment of the data.
“That picture varies across the regions and home nations of the United Kingdom, requiring a flexible response.
“Different parts of the UK may need to stay in full lockdown longer but any divergence should only be short-term because, as Prime Minister of the UK, I am in no doubt that we must defeat this threat and face the challenge of recovery together.”
The SNP's Westminster leader Ian Blackford called for Mr Johnson to accept that Scotland will continue to follow the Government's previous “stay at home” message.
Mr Blackford said: “What the public desperately need today is to be given some clarity.
“Will the Prime Minister confirm that he accepts and respects that in the devolved nations the advice clearly remains 'stay at home, protect the NHS, and save lives', and that it is the legal right of all first ministers to set their approach for Scotland, for Wales and for Northern Ireland?”
Mr Blackford also said that the UK Government had not shared the new “stay alert” slogan with the devolved administrations and that they learned of the change “in the Sunday newspapers”.
He asked: “Will the Prime Minister commit not to deploy this new slogan in Scotland and Wales and Northern Ireland unless the devolved governments decide otherwise?”
Mr Johnson responded: “I would say to (Mr Blackford) quite simply that I do think that the UK has been able - thanks to the co-operation I've had, not just with honourable members opposite but across all four nations - I think we have been able to make a huge amount of progress together.
“I think most people actually understand where we are in fighting this disease. Most people looking at the reality, the practical reality of the advice that we are giving today, can see that overall there is far, far more that unites the UK than divides it.”
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