Coronavirus Scotland LIVE as Nicola Sturgeon eases 'stay-at-home' lockdown measure

Join thousands of others in getting the stories that matter to you sent straight to your inbox.First Minister Nicola Sturgeon vowed to secure the future of the Vale of Leven Hospital on a visit to Alexandria this morning.The SNP politician visited Dumbarton and the Vale earlier today on the campaign trail with local candidate Toni Giugliano, who is hoping to take the party’s first victory in Dumbarton since the creation of the current Scottish Parliament.Just 109 votes separated the SNP’s Gail

new freedoms next week after Nicola Sturgeon confirmed lockdown will ease further as covid cases continue to fall. The First Minister announced the country will move to Level Three lockdown next Monday, leading to a raft of changes.

finally lifted today after more than four months, while groups of up to six people from six different households can also now legally meet outdoors. Until now, most Scots have been unable to invite people into their own homes for non-essential purposes since September and thousands of hospitality businesses remain shut.

Parliament term, if she is re-elected.The First Minister revealed her plans for a second vote on Scotland's future during the SNP's manifesto launch earlier today.The SNP says it is seeking permission from the Scottish people to hold indyref2 following the devastating coronavirus pandemic that has killed more than 10,000 Scots.

restrictions continue to ease across Scotland with pupils return to full-time education inside school buildings now in full swing. Secondary pupils in areas where the Easter holidays have ended have all now returned to their place of education - with more expected to get back into the classroom throughout the coming days.

@scotgov and the people of Scotland - to Her Majesty The Queen and her family." The Palace said in a statement: "It is with deep sorrow that Her Majesty The Queen announces the death of her beloved husband, His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh."His Royal Highness passed away peacefully this morning at Windsor Castle."Further announcements will made in due course."The Royal Family join with people around the world in mourning his loss."

indyref2 by the end of 2023 if the country is still “grappling” with covid.She also insisted she would not speak to Alex Salmond after the election and criticised his refusal to blame Russia for the Salisbury poisonings in 2018.Polling suggests the SNP is on course to win an outright majority at next month’s election.A key part of an SNP fourth term would be seeking a joint agreement with the UK Government on a second referendum.She has said she wants a fresh vote on Scotland’s constitutional

former First Minister also hit out at an apparent absence of “will, determination and statecraft” over the last seven years - the period in which Sturgeon has led the country.Salmond launched a new pro-indy party, Alba, in the wake of his bitter fallout with Nicola Sturgeon.Alba’s aim is to secure a “super majority” of pro-independence MSPs and is only contesting the regional List elections for Holyrood.However, despite preaching pro-independence unity, Salmond has criticised his predecessor’s

SNP, even if that was not a Tory.Ross made the comments during a BBC Scotland radio phone-in, after one caller said he was thinking of voting Labour because their candidate had a better chance of unseating the SNP MSP.Asked “should a Conservative vote for Labour, who have a chance of winning?”, the Tory leader replied: “I think, across the country, people should look at their individual constituency and vote for the strongest candidate, which in most cases is a Conservative candidate, to defeat

coronavirus news overnight is that under-30s are to be offered an alternative covid jab to the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine due to the evidence linking it to rare blood clots, the UK’s vaccine advisory body said. People aged 18 to 29 will be offered the Pfizer, Moderna or another jab where available.

Scotland. The First Minister made the announcement at her coronavirus briefing at St Andrew's House in Edinburgh earlier today.

Nicola Sturgeon enjoyed her first haircut of the year as lockdown restrictions in Scotland eased, allowing hairdressers and barbers to open. The First Minister got a fresh cut and colour at Julie McGuire’s hair salon in Edinburgh on Monday after months of closures on businesses to curb the spread of coronavirus.

lockdown restrictions continue to ease across Scotland and businesses including hairdressers and some non-essential shops open for the first time in months, police have warned the public to continue to follow the rules and stay safe. The warning comes after disgraceful scenes in Edinburgh as thousands descended on the Meadows area of the city to enjoy the warm Easter weather.

Nicola Sturgeon has announced 'better times lie ahead' as Scots face another 'difficult Easter'. The First Minister said we now have 'hope' in the fight against Covid-19 and urged the country to stay positive.

Alba Party, it could change the balance of power between Scotland and Westminster.Prime Minister Boris Johnson has consistently refused current First Minister Nicola Sturgeon’s calls for a second Scottish independence referendum.But Salmond said that if a “super majority” of pro-independence MSPs are elected to Holyrood, a range of options would be available to those who want to take Scotland out of the UK.He suggested Scotland could organise its own referendum in those circumstances, with other

country. The First Minister took to social media to urge people to be wary of the spread of the deadly virus that has killed more than 9,000 people in Scotland.

First Minister is “pretending” his comeback bid is about indyref2. He also stepped up his criticisms of Scots Tory leader Douglas Ross by saying he fronts a “game-playing, inward looking, childish opposition”.

Nicola Sturgeon was joined by Anas Sarwar from Labour, Douglas Ross from the Scottish Conservatives, Willie Rennie from the Lib Dems and Lorna Slater of the Scottish Greens to be quizzed on the BBC.

SNP. While the election campaign would usually see politicians travel the country speaking to voters, the First Minister said the coronavirus pandemic meant she would instead be "staying home".