Nicola Sturgeon hints outdoor lockdown rules in Scotland could be relaxed

Scottish Parliament election campaign. Scots will head to the poll on May 6 in what is expected to be a crucial election for the future of Sturgeon's independence dream.

NHS workers have been offered a 'substantial' pay rise after an 'exceptionally challenging year'.First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced 'our NHS staff deserve more than applause and 1% is not enough' after putting a 4% raise on the table.If accepted by staff, would be the most generous National Health Service pay uplift anywhere in the UK.The pay rise will benefit 154,000 NHS employees including nurses, paramedics, allied health professionals, as well as domestic, healthcare support staff,

Nicola Sturgeon will face questions from fellow MSPs at First Minister's Questions this afternoon.It is expected to begin around 12.30 in the Scottish Parliament, and beforehand the First Minister will give the latest update on the current coronavirus statistics.It comes as the Western Isles will today move to level three of lockdown restrictions from 6pm.Announcing the change yesterday, Nicola Sturgeon said the Outer Hebrides would return to the level that currently applies to Orkney and

Scottish Parliament later today. The Scottish Tories said they will press ahead with a vote in First Minister Nicola Sturgeon after a Holyrood committee found she misled parliament.

We will keep you updated on all the latest news on our blog below. Student nurse Keren Nairns lost both her grandparents to Covid last year.Her gran Agnes Addison, from Bannockburn in Stirlingshire, died from the virus but the family believe her grandad Davy Wilson’s death is also partly attributable to Covid.Agnes, 69, died on March 29 last year while Davy, 61, passed away on October 7, while awaiting a hospital referral for an unrelated matter.Read the full story here.First Minister Nicola

Our Politics newsletter is now daily.

First Minister 's resignation amid accusations she misled parliament about her involvement in the Alex Salmond investigation. It followed a leak that the inquiry into the Government's unlawful investigation into harassment complaints against the former first minister has reportedly concluded that Ms Sturgeon gave an "inaccurate" account of meetings with Mr Salmond.

Linda Fabiani (Convener)Long-serving SNP MSP who has been deputy presiding officer of the Scottish parliament since 2016. No friend of Salmond, who replaced her as Europe Minister halfway through the SNP’s first term in office.

First Minister is set to deliver the latest on the pandemic across Scotland from the Scottish Parliament later today.Over the last week fears have grown after a slight rise in the number of positive cases.It comes as concerns grow amid potential shortages of the Covid vaccine in the UK following a row with the European Union.Reduced vaccine supplies could slow the easing of lockdown restrictions, an expert has warned, after health officials said volumes for first doses will be "significantly

First Minister provided detailed dates of when the country can expect to begin opening back up.Nicola Sturgeon said a phased re-opening will begin next month with the Stay at Home message being dropped on April 2.On April 5, hairdressers, garden centres, click and collect services and some non-essential retail can open.On April 12, all children will return to classrooms full time.By April 26, all non-essential retail will open, tourist accommodation, gyms, and outdoor hospitality with a

coronavirus deaths and 625 new cases in last 24 hours The First Minister released the figures from St Andrews House in Nicola Sturgeon.

have been shut since October while many stores were forced to pull down their shutters on Christmas Eve as the country entered another tough period of normal life being suspended.Since then the average number of covid cases being reported each day has plummeted while hospitalisations related to the virus have also been drastically reduced.

Nicola Sturgeon on March 2, the day before she appeared before the inquiry investigating the handling of harassment complaints against former first minister Alex Salmond.On BBC Scotland's Sunday Show, Andrea Bradley, the assistant secretary of the EIS teaching union, said the Scottish Government was looking for a "good news story that week".However, Ms Sturgeon had previously announced the earliest date for some pupils to return to school would be March 15.On Monday, Education Secretary John

confirmed today she will provide further information on when some restrictions can begin to be lifted in a statement on Tuesday afternoon before the Scottish Parliament.And there could be good news for the many Scots who are eager to return to their local pub for the first time in months.Licensed premises in some parts of the country have been shut since October - with thousands of staff left on furlough as a result.It come as five major hospitality trade bodies have urged the Scottish

Dunblane massacre will be 'forever in our hearts' as Scotland remembers the tragedy 25 years on.The First Minister took to twitter to call the day 'one of the darkest and most heartbreaking in Scotland’s history'.On March 13, 1996, crazed gunman Thomas Hamilton murdered 16 primary school children and their teacher in Dunblane, sending shockwaves of grief around the world.Hamilton then took his own life.The murder spree remains Britain's deadliest mass shootings and lead to large-scale reforms on

Prestwick, South Ayrshire, gave her doting dad Jamie a dressing down over 'not washing his hands' this week.The tot's lecture was caught on camera as management consultant Jamie joked his daughter could apply to be one of the National Clinical Director Jason Leitch's understudies.Jamie, 41, wrote on social media: "Nicola Sturgeon, heard about Jason Leitch recruiting for understudies."Please find enclosed another candidate application."Little Rosie donned her bright pink stethoscope before

coronavirus in the last 24 hours.Nicola Sturgeon announced that 591 new cases of the virus were recorded overnight, bringing the total number to 207,747 since the start of the pandemic.Scotland's death toll currently sits at  7,483.It was announced that 556 people are being treated in hospital while 42 are currently in ICU wards.It comes as we revealed bosses raking in billions from lucrative health contracts have failed to pay the Scottish Government’s £500 bonus to NHS workers like porters,

First Minister is taking questions from MSPs on the coronavirus committee at Holyrood.Nicola Sturgeon is being quizzed on her handling of the pandemic and how Scotland will exit lockdown in the next couple of weeks and months.MSPs will ask Nicola Sturgeon, and Dr Gregor Smith, Chief Medical Officer for Scotland, a number of questions on the pandemic.The meeting will take place virtually and can be viewed on the Scottish Government website.

weekly covid statement at Holyrood.The SNP leader has already confirmed that all primary school pupils will return to class as of March 15, with high school students following after the Easter holiday.Last week, Sturgeon said she hoped to announce "relatively minor, but important changes to the rules around our ability to meet people outdoors, and also on how young people are able to interact with friends outdoors".It comes as the number of positive covid test results in Scotland continues to

Scottish Parliament on the coronavirus situation across the country.