Stewart Paterson: Lay down the flags... there is a pandemic

Yet as soon as lockdown is eased just enough for people to travel further than five miles, and be allowed to stay somewhere other than their own home, we have a Union flag-waving mission from the Prime Minister.

And at the same time, while the First Minister tries to play it down at daily briefings, many people are undoubtedly using the pandemic to try to further the case for independence.

Millions face the prospect of losing their jobs, and no industry is safe, yet we are being told that the economic might of the UK Government has protected jobs with the furlough scheme and that Scotland could not have mounted such a rescue package.

Boris Johnson is currently on a visit to Scotland

With its own treasury and full powers over the economy and borrowing capability, it probably could just like the many other countries, but that’s hypothetical at the moment.

On the other hand we have some using opinion polls on who has handled the crisis best, Nicola Sturgeon or Boris Johnson, to somehow argue that as a reason for independence.

Too many people have died, there are questions over the treatment of older people in care homes, and there is still a very real risk of a second wave in the autumn to conclude that it has been managed successfully.

Just because the death rate in England has been higher does not mean that Scotland has been a success.

If we want a benchmark then we should look at those countries where the death rate has been the lowest and compare ourselves to them, rather than an obsession with looking over the border and waving a saltire at England.

It is a pandemic, a worldwide virus that is still growing, claiming lives and demanding the full attention of governments.

It is not a Scottish problem, an English problem, or a UK problem but a global problem and as such demands a co-ordinated response on that scale.

If and when the virus is eliminated and hopefully eradicated another challenge will need to be tackled.

As a consequence of the lockdown an economic crisis not seen in most of our lifetimes is only just getting started.

Many have already lost their jobs and businesses closed for good.

Those on furlough just now are rightly very worried that once the government turns off the tap their job may not be there to return to.

Those who are have been working though lockdown fear that a continued economic decline is going to affect businesses and they too will be at risk.

Young people are afraid there will be no opportunities to enter the workplace with no new jobs and firms unwilling to invest in training and apprenticeships.

The cash already borrowed by the government for the emergency response has the very real danger of imposing another decade of austerity to pay it back.

And on top of that the alternative is a welfare state that is not fit to handle those it currently has to look after never mind a deluge of new claims.

It will take all the resources that Westminster and Holyrood can muster to prevent a total disaster.

If ever there is a time for both Governments to work together and forget about who claims credit then it is now.

There is no referendum campaign just now and given the massive challenges that will dominate for the next few years there is unlikely to be one in the near future.

We are still in the midst of the biggest crisis faced by this generation.

The response to the pandemic is nothing to do with constitutional make up of the country but the competence of those who happen to be in power at that time.

So, for now, can we put the flags down and concentrate on continuing to tackle the pandemic.

Or is that too much to hope for.

Shops can all open now, pubs, restaurants are all emerging from lockdown are all welcoming customers.

Staff are back and getting to grips with a different working environment just as customers are.

Signs are up reminding us all to wear a face covering.

Many shops of course were open throughout, like supermarkets and small local grocers.

The roads are busier too as more people have more places to go once again.

For those who had to travel like key workers the bus drivers were there, as were the train drivers.

Often these workers, without who, society couldn’t function, carry out their duties and are invisible to many people rushing about our busy lives.

Too often those carrying out public-facing jobs are treated with contempt and abused verbally and sometimes physically.

Workers are people, people are workers.

We have all had to rely on each other to get through the most difficult months of lockdown.

If this pandemic and lockdown is to teach us something can it be to recognise other people at their work and treat them with the respect they deserve.