Following the First Minister’s decision to keep Edinburgh at level 3- I have today written a joint, cross-party letter to the First Minister
1/

urging her to reconsider this decision. I’m grateful to @DJohnsonMSP, @MilesBriggsMSP and @andywightman from all opposition parties, representing the city who have signed it.
The text of our letter is as follows: 2/
Dear First Minister

Your decision to keep Edinburgh in Level 3 of Covid-19 lockdown restrictions

We write to you on a cross party basis as MSPs representing the City of Edinburgh. Yesterday you announced your government’s decision to keep Edinburgh at level 3,
3/
the 2nd highest classification of Covid-19 lockdown restrictions. We now understand that this was contrary to recommendations of public health officials who had advised you that a move to L2 would now be appropriate given the continued suppression of the virus in the capital. 4/
Edinburgh has existed at level 3 for 2 months and yet we have kept infection rates to level 2 parameters for several weeks.

In your statement yesterday, you stated that your reason for retaining Edinburgh’s Level 3 classification was your concern that the city’s
5/
shopping and hospitality sector would act as a magnet for people outside of the city. While all of our parties continue to support the 5 level framework for infection control and the measurements and criteria that underpin it,
6/
being an attractive destination for shopping and hospitality has never featured in that framework. It’s also not something that we have the power to change. Pre-Christmas shopping and revelries will give way to the January sales- there will always be a magnetism about the city.7/
Many of our constituents and local business owners are now understandably concerned that Edinburgh will exist in Level 3 for the remainder of the emergency, despite their extraordinary efforts to observe all the rules and bring infection rates down. 8/
We would never ask you to take unnecessary risks in the management of this terrible virus. That is why we support the framework wholeheartedly, but your decision has deviated from the application of that framework
9/
and it is now unclear under what circumstances the city would be stepped down to level 2. This will have a profound impact on the wellbeing of local citizens and the health of the city’s economy.

We urge you to reconsider the decision to keep Edinburgh at level 3.
10/
Yours,
Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP (Edinburgh Western)
Daniel Johnson MSP (Edinburgh Southern)
Miles Briggs MSP (Lothian)
Andy Wightman MSP (Lothian)
 
Ends

More from Politics

You May Also Like

॥ॐ॥
अस्य श्री गायत्री ध्यान श्लोक:
(gAyatri dhyAna shlOka)
• This shloka to meditate personified form of वेदमाता गायत्री was given by Bhagwaan Brahma to Sage yAgnavalkya (याज्ञवल्क्य).

• 14th shloka of गायत्री कवचम् which is taken from वशिष्ठ संहिता, goes as follows..


• मुक्ता-विद्रुम-हेम-नील धवलच्छायैर्मुखस्त्रीक्षणै:।
muktA vidruma hEma nIla dhavalachhAyaiH mukhaistrlkShaNaiH.

• युक्तामिन्दुकला-निबद्धमुकुटां तत्वार्थवर्णात्मिकाम्॥
yuktAmindukalA nibaddha makutAm tatvArtha varNAtmikam.

• गायत्रीं वरदाभयाङ्कुश कशां शुभ्रं कपालं गदाम्।
gAyatrIm vardAbhayANkusha kashAm shubhram kapAlam gadAm.

• शंखं चक्रमथारविन्दयुगलं हस्तैर्वहन्ती भजै॥
shankham chakramathArvinda yugalam hastairvahantIm bhajE.

This shloka describes the form of वेदमाता गायत्री.

• It says, "She has five faces which shine with the colours of a Pearl 'मुक्ता', Coral 'विद्रुम', Gold 'हेम्', Sapphire 'नील्', & a Diamond 'धवलम्'.

• These five faces are symbolic of the five primordial elements called पञ्चमहाभूत:' which makes up the entire existence.

• These are the elements of SPACE, FIRE, WIND, EARTH & WATER.

• All these five faces shine with three eyes 'त्रिक्षणै:'.
The UN just voted to condemn Israel 9 times, and the rest of the world 0.

View the resolutions and voting results here:

The resolution titled "The occupied Syrian Golan," which condemns Israel for "repressive measures" against Syrian citizens in the Golan Heights, was adopted by a vote of 151 - 2 - 14.

Israel and the U.S. voted 'No'
https://t.co/HoO7oz0dwr


The resolution titled "Israeli practices affecting the human rights of the Palestinian people..." was adopted by a vote of 153 - 6 - 9.

Australia, Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, and the U.S. voted 'No' https://t.co/1Ntpi7Vqab


The resolution titled "Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the occupied Syrian Golan" was adopted by a vote of 153 – 5 – 10.

Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, and the U.S. voted 'No'
https://t.co/REumYgyRuF


The resolution titled "Applicability of the Geneva Convention... to the
Occupied Palestinian Territory..." was adopted by a vote of 154 - 5 - 8.

Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, and the U.S. voted 'No'
https://t.co/xDAeS9K1kW