Good evening, It has emerged today that First Minister Nicola Sturgeon did receive any written briefings on Coronavirus until more than a week after the first case struck in Scotland. Ms Sturgeon received only verbal updates on the virus from advisers such as the Chief Medical Officer and National Clinical Director in the period from January 24 until March 9. The revelation, which emerged through Freedom of Information, has been branded "unbelievable and disturbing" by opposition parties. Here are the other coronavirus-related headlines concerning Scotland on Tuesday evening: Plans to restart NHS services during the Covid-19 outbreak will not be a “flick of the switch” moment, the health secretary has warned. Two people have been charged over alleged culpable and reckless conduct after they had to be rescued from a mountain during lockdown in Scotland. A BBC report that claimed First Minister Nicola Sturgeon had “enjoyed the opportunity to set her own lockdown rules" led to over 4,500 complaints. SNP chiefs are being urged to use a virtual conference to decide if the party should adopt a "plan B" approach on independence. The month of May has become the sunniest calendar month on record in Scotland, with some counties in eastern Scotland having recorded their driest spring in a rainfall series from 1862. But now the next few days of June are forecast to see a change in conditions as heavy downpours are set to hit. Message from the editor While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you. With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our advertisers - and consequently the revenue we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription. Subscribe to scotsman.com and enjoy unlimited access to Scottish news and information online and on our app. With a digital subscription, you can read more than 5 articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Visit https://www.scotsman.com/subscriptions now to sign up. Our journalism costs money and we rely on advertising, print and digital revenues to help to support them. By supporting us, we are able to support you in providing trusted, fact-checked content for this website. Frank O'Donnell
Editorial Director |