Nicola Sturgeon gazumps ministers AGAIN by declaring that lockdown measures will stay in place for 'at least' three more weeks

Nicola Sturgeon gazumped ministers again today by declaring that the lockdown will stay in place for 'at least' another three weeks - and an 'exit strategy' will be revealed next week.

The Scottish First Minister announced measures will stay in place hours before a crunch meeting of Cobra, where the official decision will be taken.

Ms Sturgeon also risked enraging Westminster counterparts by insisting the public does have a right to know how politicians plan to get out of the crisis, as it threatens to rip the economy to shreds.  

Despite Health Secretary Matt Hancock claiming earlier that talk of an 'exit strategy' would muddy the government's social distancing message, she said she hoped to publish a 'framework' for how normal life could return next week. 

 

Answering questions from other Scottish party leaders over video conference this afternoon, Ms Sturgeon said: 'We must continue the lockdown measures for at least another three weeks... we are not yet confident enough that the virus has been suppressed sufficiently.' 

Ms Sturgeon said 'people do want to know what the thinking is for beyond that period and she wanted to 'share the thought process'. 'I hope over the course of next week to not announce those decisions... but to set out the framework of decision making.'   

Dominic Raab is set to confirm formally that lockdown will stay in place until at least mid-May after the Cobra meeting this afternoon.  

In a bad-tempered interview eariler, Mr Hancock said he recognised that 'everybody wants to know what the future looks like'.  

But he flatly dismissed calls for the government to flesh out how the restrictions will finally be eased, despite mounting fears that they are wreaking havoc on the economy. 

Mr Hancock said the 'clarity of messaging' had a 'direct impact on how many people obey' social distancing rules.  

In other developments as the country struggles under the coronavirus strain: 

• A report sent to ministers has suggested coffee shops, restaurants and estate agents should be among the first to reopen on Britain's high streets, as they are the businesses most likely to boost the economy and pose the smallest risk of spreading the virus; 
• There are claims that the population could be 'segmented' to ease restrictions with young people allowed to go back to work and primary schools opened, while pensioners and the vulnerable are ordered to stay in isolation; 
• One of the government's own key experts, Professor Neil Ferguson, has warned curbs cannot be eased until mass testing is in place and criticised the government's slow action; 
• The first newly-adapted ventilator design has been approved by regulators, with the government ordering 15,000 of the Penlon's Prima ES202 model; 
• Matt Hancock has rejected calls for ministers to take a pay cut in solidarity with hard-hit workers, after counterparts in New Zealand announced they would;
• Mr Hancock insisted the government could hit its 100,000 a day testing target by the end of the month, despite questions over why it is still not using the current capacity of 25,000. 

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