ASSURANCES have been sought from Nicola Sturgeon that the region’s residents will continue to be able to cross the border between Scotland and England.
During the First Minister’s Coronavirus update this afternoon, Dumfriesshire MSP Oliver Mundell asked her to “guarantee today that whatever public health decisions our government take, that my constituents who live and work on both sides of the border will continue to be free to travel to England and back.”
He also questioned if she agreed there is “significant concern and anxiety” surrounding the possible closure of the border.
Ms Sturgeon responded: “A global pandemic causes significant anxiety and concern for many and I think what the vast majority of people look to their governments to do is take whatever action they deem is necessary to keep people safe from an infectious virus and stop people dying.
“These are not constitutional debates and decisions, they are not political debates and decisions and I would really encourage everybody not to see them in that way.”
She added that the Scottish Government “always exempt essential travel, which would include travel on the part of people who have to go to work.
“We are encouraging people where possible to work from home and that applies to Mr Mundell’s constituents as it applies to people across the country.”
The First Minster concluded: “For goodness sake, lets be grown up and sensible about these discussions, there is plenty time in the future – I hope when we’re out of this pandemic – to get back to the traditional debates we all enjoy having but for now let’s all keep focused on the public health imperative of keeping people safe from this virus.”
