Sturgeon says claims of lockdown bias are 'ridiculous'

Nicola Sturgeon has dismissed “ridiculous” claims Glasgow was given preferential treatment to Aberdeen on coronavirus restrictions for political reasons.

She was responding to comments from Aberdeen council co-leader Douglas Lumsden, who tweeted that Glasgow escaped a full lockdown as it was a “Yes” city – referring to the 2014 independence referendum.

The First Minister was asked about his suggestion that the rules were politically motivated during the Scottish Government’s coronavirus briefing on Thursday.

She said: “It just depresses me actually, for a couple of reasons.

“Transmission of the virus was based around pubs in Aberdeen and households in Glasgow.”

The FM continued: “I think if there’s still people out there who are prepared to think I’m taking these decisions from some kind of crazy, party political point of view, then they’re always going to believe the worst of me and there’s probably nothing I can do to convince them.

“But I hope that kind of view is the minority and I hope the majority of reasonable people, whether you agree with my politics or not and whether you agree with the decisions that we’re arriving at or not, do get a sense of trying to take them for the right reasons.”

She said Mr Lumsden had been part of the initial decisions around the Aberdeen lockdown, adding: “I’m not going to say any more about that because I think it’s just ridiculous.”

Mr Lumsden, who is the leader of the Conservative group on the council, said the difference in restrictions was unfair during a radio interview with Northsound News on Wednesday morning.

Hospitality businesses were required to close during Aberdeen’s lockdown, which is not the case in Glasgow.

He said: “It does seem rather unfair and a bit confusing to be honest.

“I think we’ve seen for a long time a huge central belt bias from the SNP government. This just seems to add to that narrative.

“I said at the time it felt like we were being punished in Aberdeen and it feels even more like that now.”