A JOURNALIST had a unique way of showing the difficulties of working from home while looking after children during the daily coronavirus briefing.
During his questioning via video-link from his home, Chris Musson, the Scottish political editor of The Sun, was interrupted by his five-year-old daughter who appeared over his right shoulder.
He said: "Hi First Minister. We're hearing that many working mums are shouldering most of the burden of childcare while schools are off, perhaps as scructural inequality means men are often better paid than women so their jobs are perceived as being more important.
"I just wondered do you worry about mums being forced out of their jobs given schools are off until August?"
Musson's child then came into the shot, but he continued: "And, secondly, related to this, on employment law: how can you make private sector employers offer flexible working such as a four day week?"
"Sorry about this", he said as his child came fully into the shot.
The intervention raised a smile from the First Minister, which then turned to laughter when the youngster switched sides and temporarily managed to get between her father and the camera.
"I think you should let the other person in the room there ask a question," Sturgeon said.
Musson continued: "Given the Scottish Government does not have the powers to force this on employers, is there a way you can incentivise private sector employers by giving financial support?"
The FM responded: "Thank you, and can I first of all say you're clearly as a man taking your fair share of the childcare there so well done for that. Anyway, on your question we can't force – well we could if we regulated and legislated, although in Scotland we are slightly limited because we don't have power over employment law fully – but I don't want to be in a position generally here of forcing people to do things that we can get agreement around. We could have a discussion with employers about how we move to a more flexible working environment.
"Along the way we will consider whether there are ways of supporting and incentivising that because I think it is really important that we take the opportunity from that."
The Scottish Sun's @ChrisMusson had a useful tool to illustrate the difficulties of homeworking during the Scottish Government briefing today pic.twitter.com/x3BIPgIVLI
— Daniel Harkins (@DanielHarkins00) May 22, 2020
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