THE First Minister rejected claims she has enjoyed making decisions about coronavirus restrictions during an appearance on Good Morning Britain today.
Speaking to Lorraine Kelly, Nicola Sturgeon referenced BBC Scotland editor Sarah Smith’s claim that the SNP leader had “enjoyed” making lockdown decisions without following Westminster’s lead earlier this week. Smith later apologised and said she had intended to use the word “embraced”.
Speaking today, Sturgeon told viewers the idea she had at all relished making these decisions was “nonsense”.
'I'm not interested in traditional politics or constitutional arguments over this.'@NicolaSturgeon says she's not interested in party politics and only cares about trying to get the virus under control and keeping the country safe.@lorraine | #GMB pic.twitter.com/U1oO2EWc3F
— Good Morning Britain (@GMB) May 22, 2020
She told viewers: “I mean I can say hand on heart I have never enjoyed anything less in my whole life. This is grim, it’s grim for everybody, having to deal with the lockdown – it’s particularly grim for the far too many people who’ve lost loved ones and for anybody in a position of leadership.
“Regardless of their politics, regardless of their views on things, this is not easy. You’re taking decisions that are really tough, there are no good options in front of us and so the idea that anybody relishes this is any way is just nonsense, and I think most reasonable people understand that.
“And on politics, and the constitution, I don’t think I’ve mentioned the word independence. I’m not interested in traditional politics or constitutional arguments over this. People can believe that or not. From day one all I’ve cared about is trying to do everything I can to get this virus under control and get the country back to normal.”
READ MORE: Sarah Smith sorry for report on Nicola Sturgeon's virus strategy
Smith posted four tweets explaining her “mistake” on Tuesday morning after the First Minister rejected that she had “enjoyed” the crisis.
She tweeted: “I do not believe that @NicolaSturgeon is enjoying this crisis. I had meant to say on the ten o’clock news that she has “embraced” the opportunity to make a policy unique to Scotland. I said “enjoyed” by mistake. Not suggesting she is enjoying crisis but embracing devolution.
“On last night’s News at Ten I said @NicolaSturgeon had ‘enjoyed the opportunity to set her own lockdown rules’ I should have said she was ‘embracing’ the opportunity to set a separate policy for Scotland. I never meant to suggest she is enjoying this crisis. Of course she is not.”
Sturgeon was unsure about either use of language, replying: “I’ve made clear my view on this report. I’m not ‘enjoying’ or ‘embracing’ an ‘opportunity’. I’m just doing what I judge best in very difficult circumstances. That said, I understand the scrutiny that comes with it and accept Sarah’s clarification. For me, the matter is closed.”
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