22/06 Scottish Coronavirus briefing thread.
The Scottish Press are SNP sycophants. We can't rely on them to hold the separatists to account.
Today, let's see if they stick with the beer garden breathing nonsense, or if they will agree to publish their 'science'.

Oh we are going to hear how Queen Nic is going to get the economy going. Awaiting this with baited breath.

No deaths in Scotland with Covid. Excellent news. How many people died from Lockdown? She's not interested in that figure.

We're getting indicative dates for opening up later this week but who would listen to the SNP govt now after their beer garden u-turn?

Benny Higgins is going to update us as the Chair of the Economic Advisory commission.

Anyone know who he is?

The commission are going to produce a report and then the Scottish Government are going to produce a report on that report. Meanwhile, Scottish businesses fail.

Sturgeon recognises the vast scale of the challenge ahead. Considering they couldn't build a couple of ferries, I'm not confident they will rise to the challenge.

What's the chance that Benny Higgins is a nationalist and his report will conclude 'indy' is the solution?

They seem to be focussing on rebuilding the economy with the green agenda in mind!?

"Our recovery must be education-led"
Well I don't disagree with Benny on that, but surely they should have been concentrating on education before the pandemic? I'm unsure how they are going to improve the dire situation in education now when they were destroying in before?

Here we go. Benny is saying that the current fiscal arrangements between ScotGov and UKGov are "extremely limiting". Nat klaxon.

Well! They want to lower VAT. I've always been for lower VAT rates however VAT rates are set UK-wide and Rishi Sunak has already intimated that he will do this.

Climate change, carbon output etc etc. A green Scotland will be highly-skilled with high-paying jobs. How??

This report is all pie in the sky. All these recommendations should have been down anyway. In fact, some of this the Nats tried to do, but failed miserably.

Sturgeon doesn't rule out taking stakes in companies if necessary. As long as they don't try and run them, that should be fine.

SNP TV next, oops I mean STV TV. He asks Higgins:
"Do you think the furlough scheme should be extended by the UK Govt?"
He's going to say 'Yes'.
He said 'Yes'

Good question on what mandatory means for face coverings. Will people be arrested? Expect some wriggling on this from the FM because they can't enforce it.

"We will consider what the compliance on this looks like" says Sturgeon. What does that even mean? It means no. You can't be forced.

Social distancing could compound mental health issues in children in schools says the journalist. Damn right it will. Sturgeon says she wants kids back asap. I would place a bet that they won't manage this in time for the new term.

It doesn't sound like children's mental health organisations or the Greens are very happy with Benny's report.

Being asked why Councils are sending info to parents on providing only part-time learning for students. Sturgeon says these are contingency but they clearly are not. These Council plans will be going ahead.

"When did you know you wouldn't let beer gardens open?"
She says "I can't recall the exact date"

They gave publicans clear steer that this would happen and not a clear reason why they did a u-turn. They clearly knew for days, maybe even a week but didn't say till day before.

She hasn't answered the question on when she knew the beer gardens wouldn't be opened. The next journalist should push her.

Good lord, Sturgeon really does use 100 words where one would do. She absolutely loves the sound of her own voice.

The report estimates a 33% fall in GDP for every month that social distancing in place. Daily Mail asks if Boris goes to 1m, will they do it too?
Sturgeon refuses to answer. Higgins decides to explain social distancing to us by explaining it's standing apart from people. Sigh.

NS is answering now "it's not a straightforward, binary issue." She admits that there are different scientific opinions on this. Says won't be far behind the UK's decision.

"Could Scotland's recovery be the worst in the Western world" and "What borrowing powers does Scotland need". This is shaping up to be their argument. Always read between the lines with the Nat. They are going to blame everything on not being able to borrow.

You would have to remember that Scotland would have exceptionally poor borrowing power if independent. The result would be destitution.

The @scottishconservatives, @LabourRichard and others need to be working on countering this now.

Could we be asked for contact details to go into pubs.
NS says "I don't want to pre-empt the advice I've been given" but broadly yes. I am not giving my details to anyone. I just won't go.

Anyway, of course she is 'pre-empting' the advice. She's choosing which advice to follow.

NS has a massive job to build confidence. How are people expected to spend and contribute to the economy when she says things like 'every interaction you have could pass on a deadly virus'(paraphrasing but close).

The Beano (The National) have a question. I'd tell you what it was but I cannot understand a word he's saying.

Something about sore elbows I think...

That's me done for today. What a load of waffle. Ever get the feeling you've wasted your time?