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Downing Street on course for clash with Nicola Sturgeon on emergency Covid response

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon is expected to give a Covid update this afternoon.

Downing Street is on a collision course with Nicola Sturgeon and the first minister of Wales after rejecting calls for tougher travel restrictions and an urgent meeting to tackle the threat from the Omicron Covid variant.

Ms Sturgeon and Mark Drakeford joined forces on Monday to demand the prime minister convenes a so-called Cobra meeting to discuss taking a four-nations approach as concerns grow around the world over the new viral mutation.

In a move that could point to shared fears for the weeks and months ahead, the pair also called on Boris Johnson to ensure cash is available for any of the four nations forced to close businesses or reimpose tough measures to curb the spread.

The Scottish Government has followed travel restrictions put in place by Westminster requiring passengers coming into the UK to do a PCR test two days after arrival.

But Ms Sturgeon and Mr Drakeford wrote to the prime minister calling for people coming into the UK from overseas to be required to self isolate for eight days – and then do a second PCR test.

It comes after six cases of the Omicron variant of coronavirus were identified in Scotland, in addition to three previously identified in England.

FMs make plea over testing and support

The letter states: “We believe the reinstatement of a requirement for a day eight PCR test for travellers arriving into the UK – alongside the day two requirement already announced, and thereby requiring isolation for that whole period – is now necessary.

“Public health advice is unequivocal that this is the best and safest way to protect against the importation of this variant to the fullest extent possible.”

It adds: “While our public health systems work hard to minimise the spread of cases already in the UK, it is imperative that we do all we can to avoid under-cutting these efforts by permitting on-going importation.”

In addition to discussion on travel restrictions, the Scottish and Welsh first ministers also want the UK Government to commit to providing the necessary funding to support businesses if “more interventionist measures are required”.

They told Mr Johnson it would be “better to consider this now, in advance of a potential escalation in the seriousness of the situation”.

They added: “In particular, it is important for us to agree that if the conditions in a devolved nation were to require more significant interventions than in England, the agreed package of financial support would be available to that nation.

“We do not want to be in a position again where our public health interventions are negatively impacted by a lack of financial support, but can be switched on as required for England.”

Dundee City Centre during lockdown

Ms Sturgeon will be keen to avoid a repeat of last November when Scotland faced a choice of following England into lockdown, when it was not seen as necessary, or risk going it alone without the UK’s full job retention scheme.

Ministers faced a furious stand-off with Downing Street after the Treasury said it would not foot the bill for a shutdown in Scotland after December 2, despite making cash available as England entered new coronavirus measures that week.

Downing Street rebuffs call for meeting

Asked about the letter from the two first ministers on Monday, the prime minister’s official spokesman appeared to rebuff any chance of a specially convened meeting.

He said: “We would confirm any plans for a Cobra meeting in the normal way. Currently, there isn’t one scheduled.

“We obviously speak to our devolved administration counterparts very regularly and we will continue to coordinate our response with them.”

Prime Minister Boris Johnson

Downing Street also rejected the call for the self-isolation period for travellers to be extended because of the impact on the travel industry.

The spokesman said: “We believe that the approach we’ve taken is the proportionate one to the evidence that we currently have available about this variant.

“Introducing further isolation requirements and testing requirements would have a detrimental effect on the travel industry and indeed those who are planning to go travelling.”