Nicola Sturgeon urges people to follow Government advice despite public anger

Nicola Sturgeon said with increased coronavirus transmissibility the “tough question” was if current protections were enough.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon delivers a Covid-19 update statement on the Omicron variant in the main chamber at the Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh. Picture date: Tuesday December 7, 2021. (PA Wire)

Scotland’s First Minister has urged people to follow Government coronavirus rules “even if you feel angry with a politician just now” amid growing anger over a Downing Street Christmas party.

Nicola Sturgeon took to Twitter on Wednesday just minutes after Boris Johnson announced England would move to its Plan B to stop the Omicron coronavirus variant in its tracks.

The Prime Minister’s announcement took place as Mr Johnson was facing growing anger over a Christmas party held in Downing Street last year, and after Ms Sturgeon said that “even if you feel angry with a politician just now, please remember just how important compliance is for the health and safety of you, your loved ones and the country”.

Speaking from the same room his aide was filmed last year joking about the Christmas party, the Prime Minister said, for England, work from home guidance would return, Covid passports would become mandatory in large venues, and mask rules would be extended.

Ms Sturgeon said the policies announced for England were already in place for Scotland, but added: “Tough question we all face in period ahead is whether these protections will be strong enough against a rapidly spreading Omicron variant.”

The MSP added: “Even if (and it is still if) Omicron doesn’t cause more severe disease, the numbers of people who might be infected by its faster spread will create big challenges for NHS and economy – so we need to consider carefully (but quite quickly) what proportionate response needed.”

Allegra Stratton speaking outside her home in north London (Jonathan Brady/PA) (PA Wire)

And she went on to tell her followers: “In meantime, all of us complying strictly with current protections will help. And even if you feel angry with a politician just now, please remember just how important compliance is for the health and safety of you, your loved ones and the country.”

Mr Johnson has apologised and a senior aide has quit over footage showing Number 10 advisers joking about a Downing Street Christmas party during the coronavirus lockdown.

The Prime Minister has ordered an investigation into claims staff broke lockdown rules by holding a Christmas party last year and told MPs he was “furious” about the footage apparently showing aides laughing about it.

Allegra Stratton who was the Prime Minister’s spokeswoman, resigned after the leaked clip emerged, offering “profound apologies” and saying she would “regret those remarks for the rest of my days”.

The Prime Minister has repeatedly insisted that rules were followed in Downing Street since the claims first emerged about the December 18 2020 party.