THIS week, all the areas that had been under the tough level 4 restrictions were moved into level 3. Oh how we rejoiced!

The sweet freedom of non-essential retail!

For Edinburgh, the news wasn’t so good. Many had been hoping that the city would be moved to level 2 but it remained where it was, stuck in level 3 sipping on a virgin mojito.

At FMQs yesterday, Richard Leonard asked the First Minister what she has against our capital city.

“We know that public health officials briefed the council leadership of Edinburgh that the city should be moved to level 2. That’s not just hearsay: that’s what’s stated in an emergency motion being moved by the SNP leader of the council this afternoon. So why did the First Minister and her Cabinet vote to overturn that advice?”

In response, the First Minister said that when taking a decision, all the key indicators are looked at and judgment is applied.

“Why on earth would I want to keep Edinburgh – or any part of the country – in a higher level of protection if I didn’t think there was a need to do that?”

She then shared with the chamber the latest data from Edinburgh. She said that over the last seven days the number of cases per 100,000 has gone up by 14%. Test positivity has went up by 0.5%.

“These are serious decisions to take and they have to be taken carefully. If you have a situation where you have – in any area – case numbers that are rising slightly or not declining significantly enough then there is a real risk in easing up restrictions.”

“The judgment the Cabinet reached was that to take Edinburgh down a level at this stage would have posed a significant risk.”

READ MORE: Richard Leonard slammed for claim Edinburgh Covid level is 'political'

Richard Leonard said that going by the data, Edinburgh is well within the level 2 threshold: “So why WAS Edinburgh treated in this way? What is evidence, the rationale or the insight that justifies that decision based on that judgement?”

Nicola Sturgeon reiterated that the decision on Edinburgh was taken in the interests of public health. “When you’re dealing with an infectious virus, if you ease restrictions against a rising trend of infections you take a real risk that the rising cases of infections very rapidly – and very seriously – runs out of control,” she said.

Richard Leonard then accused the FM of irresponsible “ad-hoc and arbitrary decision-making” and said the decision not to move Edinburgh to level 2 looked like it was political rather than scientific.

“There’s only one person in this exchange being irresponsible and frankly, Presiding Officer, that is not me.

She said Richard Leonard’s comments were “ridiculous” and asked what the political advantage would be in taking deeply unpopular decisions if they weren’t absolutely necessary.

Have we stumbled upon one of the (many) reasons for Scottish Labour’s political failure over the last number of years? If Leonard thinks Edinburgh restrictions are part of some clever SNP vote-winning strategy then that certainly clears up a few things.

He wasn’t the only opposition leader who was worried about Edinburgh. Willie Rennie stood up to declare: “I do think it’s important to ask questions about Edinburgh.”

The frustration clearly felt by Mr Rennie and Mr Leonard is understandable. After 10 years in government, the SNP should come up with solutions that don’t harm the economy OR the health of the nation.

The Scottish Labour and LibDem leaders have good intentions: all they want is for Nicola Sturgeon to open up the hospitality sector in the capital city in time for Christmas. They want her to do that while getting case numbers down.

They want Edinburgh to enjoy the freedoms of level 2 AND a guarantee that the virus will respect the strength of feeling on the opposition benches and stay well clear of the city.

If Nicola Sturgeon wasn’t so OBSESSED with independence she could have invented a time-machine and taken us to back to 2019 so their wish could be fulfilled.