Nicola Sturgeon

First minister hopes measures will lift in ‘early April’ as public urged to be patient

PM’s announcement overshadowed by internal row over cost of monioring pandemic

Pinning the Bill and the blame on the Brits stirs grievance in the North

Publication of Sue Gray’s report into lockdown-breaking parties was expected this week

A decision to gradually increase capacities would not be in step with other nations

‘Cautious optimism’ on Omicron impact would mean phased lifting of limits, says Sturgeon

Testing rules in Britain set to be eased to reduce isolation time amid staff absences

Few would bet on the PM remaining in office another year or the royal family making up

Country joins Scotland, Northern Ireland in introducing post-Christmas Covid restrictions

PM ‘ready to take action’ if situation deteriorates as ministers await data on Omicron

Labour backing sees measures through after prime minister’s pleading falls on deaf ears

Omicron expected to overtake the dominant Delta variant in the UK ‘by mid-December’

Rate at which new variant cases double is between two and three days, report shows

Cop26 negotiations are ‘optimistic’ but problems are not solved – former French PM

‘We would be much more powerful as an independent country. Not least, we’d be sitting around the negotiating table at Cop26’

Scotland’s first minister warns that Johnson’s government will use Brexit to weaken case for independence