Nicola Sturgeon wanted review of Government complaints system to include former Ministers

Nicola Sturgeon has said all pupils who are unhappy with their exam results will be able to appeal them for free as the Scottish Government faced mounting criticism over how grades were awarded. For the first time in more than 130 years, Scottish youngsters did not sit down for exams in May as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

pub too often after alarm at a rise in coronavirus cases.                         Around half of the latest positive cases of Covid-19 were among people in their 20s and 30s.                         Today launched the Eat Out to Help Out scheme as thousands of restaurants in Scotland have signed up to provide a 50% discount on food and non-alcoholic drinks.

bars and restaurants could face a “further shutdown” if Scots do not abide by strict public safety rules.The First Minister said pictures of a large queue outside an Aberdeen bar had made her want to cry.A key part of the Government’s policy of coming out of lockdown involved the reopening of pubs and restaurants.Get all the top Scottish politics news sent straight to your Inbox by signing up to our Politics newsletter.We cover Holyrood, Westminster and local councils, with a current focus on

pub too often after alarm at a rise in coronavirus cases.Around half of the latest positive cases of Covid-19 were among people in their 20s and 30s.First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the levels are a reason for caution, while other parts of the world have also seen infection rates among young people surge.At a coronavirus briefing on Friday, Sturgeon said "nobody can safely get Covid", despite the disease causing more fatalities among older people.Urging people to "stick rigidly" to the latest

coronavirus cases.The warning against non-essential travel also applies to anyone in affected areas, including Manchester, who had plans to visit Scotland.First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced the restrictions in the most significant step back to lockdown since the height of the pandemic in the UK.Sturgeon said: "I'm grateful to the Prime Minister for the update on the recent developments in the north west of England and all four nations agreed on the importance of sharing localised

Nicola Sturgeon has announced that pupils will be in the classroom full-time when schools return next month.Pupils will begin to return from August 11 and all young people will be back in full-time education by August 18.In a statement to Holyrood this afternoon the First Minister did say that some local authorities may opt for phased return but all pupils will have returned to school by August 18.A Scottish Government report reads: "The expectation is that all schools will reopen by August 11,

Get the stories that interest you straight to your inbox every day with our personalised newsletterNicola Sturgeon has confirmed Scottish schools will reopen from August 11.The First Minister said she expected all pupils to be back in full time education from August 18 at the latest.In a statement to Holyrood this lunchtime, Ms Sturgeon confirmed classrooms would re-open in full rather than adopting a "blended" learning approach, which had once been proposed.Every school will have to carry out a

schooling in Scotland today as she delivers the latest review of lockdown.Parents, pupils and teachers have been waiting for a final decision for weeks after earlier plans for “blended” part-time learning were suddenly dropped.The move to more normal hours comes as concerns continue to grow over clusters of Covid-19, including a potential spread in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde region.Worrying levels of infection are being detected across continental Europe too, leading to calls for caution in

Alex Salmond. The First Minister previously said Salmond had informed her about the complaints when they met at her house in April 2018.However, a new account claims Sturgeon was aware days earlier during a meeting with Salmond’s former chief of staff.Get all the top Scottish politics news sent straight to your Inbox by signing up to our Politics newsletter.We cover Holyrood, Westminster and local councils, with a current focus on how our governments are handling the coronavirus pandemic.To sign

Covid-19 in recent days could be linked to the outbreak at a call centre in North Lanarkshire.

coronavirus was reported at a call centre in Motherwell. At least six workers at the Sitel office in Maxim Park, near Bellshill, have been diagnosed with the deadly virus.

shielding ” policy by the end of the month. The First Minister also announced a further lifting of restrictions on a category of people who have been subject to the greatest coronavirus restrictions.

Nicola Sturgeon has declared it was a good day for Scotland as the country's hospitality sector reopened and the number of deaths from Covid-19 continued to fall. But the SNP leader once again urged Scots to "keep the heid" as she admitted to being nervous as the single biggest easing of lockdown restrictions in four months took place.

Get the stories that interest you straight to your inbox every day with our personalised newsletterScotland has recorded no new deaths from coronavirus for the seventh day in a row, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced.The latest figures were revealed as the country took a key step out of lockdown today, with pubs and restaurants opening indoors for the first time.Attractions such as cinemas and museums have also been reopening, while long queues have been waiting at the country's barber

Nicola Sturgeon ’s economic advisers has criticised a lack of business experience in her government and hit out at “career politicians”. Tycoon Jim McColl said the problem is worse in Scotland and warned the country faces losing half its small and medium sized firms due to covid-19.

Nicola Sturgeon said the opening of pubs indoors was the “highest risk” since exiting lockdown began and encouraged those going to the pub to “do so carefully”.Speaking as Scotland celebrated a sixth day with no deaths from the virus, she said: “I think we all know where alcohol is being taken, sometimes our inhibitions are lower ... we behave in a way we wouldn’t normally do, getting closer to people.

Sturgeon has said UK Government plans to exclude social care workers from a new visa system could have a “devastating” impact on the workforce.The First Minister said the decision risked sending a message that the country is not grateful for the work these staff have carried out.Foreign social care workers will be unable to apply for a special health and care visa under the UK’s new points-based immigration system.Get all the top Scottish politics news sent straight to your Inbox by signing up

Sturgeon has blasted reported UK Government plans to hold on to a key economic lever after the Brexit transition period.It has been claimed Prime Minister Boris Johnson will not devolve control over ‘state aid’, which allows Governments to subsidise companies.The First Minister tweeted this morning: “This would be a full scale assault on devolution - a blatant move to erode the powers of the Scottish Parliament in key areas.

Nicola Sturgeon has paid tribute to Scots comedy legend Johnny Beattie after his death at the age of 93.