SCOTLAND will not be adopting the UK Government’s new coronavirus slogan, Nicola Sturgeon has said.
The First Minister clarified that Holyrood’s message to the public remains stay at home after Downing Street issued new advice.
Since lockdown measures were implemented, Westminster has publicised the slogan “Stay home. Protect the NHS. Save Lives.”
However, as of today, that message has been changed to: “Stay alert. Control the virus. Save Lives.”
The Prime Minister will read the slogan when he outlines his "road map" to a "new normality" in an address tonight.
READ MORE: People can’t get over how bad the UK Government’s new coronavirus slogan is
Responding to the update, Sturgeon signalled that Scotland would not follow the UK Government in deviating from strict “stay at home” advice.
She tweeted: "The Sunday papers is the first I've seen of the PM's new slogan.
"It is of course for him to decide what's most appropriate for England, but given the critical point we are at in tackling the virus, #StayHomeSaveLives remains my clear message to Scotland at this stage."
The First Minister clarified her stance further in a later tweet.
STAY HOME. PROTECT THE NHS. SAVE LIVES.
— Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) May 10, 2020
The SNP leader has previously warned that changing the lockdown message could be a “catastrophic mistake”.
READ MORE: Jeane Freeman: I have no idea what UK's new lockdown message means
Shortly before Sturgeon's tweeted, Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick said he hoped all four nations will agree to take the same approach when the PM speaks to them in a Cobra meeting before his 7pm pre-recorded address.
"We hope that they will agree to a consistent approach across the country, that's our strong preference," Jenrick told Sky's Sophy Ridge on Sunday.
Welsh First Minister First Minister Mark Drakeford said on the same programme that the stay-home message had "not gone away".
Northern Irish First Minister Arlene Foster commented: "On the whole the message is to stay at home. We will say we are not deviating from the message at this time."
He commented: "The message I will be giving to people in Wales is while they must be alert to the continuing danger of coronavirus, if you're not out of your house for an essential purpose – and that does include exercise, it can include shopping and it must include going to work for people who can safely do so – staying at home remains the best way that you can protect yourself and others."
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