1/ Congratulations to @RishiSunak - I wish him well and, notwithstanding our political differences, will do my best to build a constructive working relationship with him in the interests of those we serve. 2/ That he becomes the first British Asian to become PM is a genuinely significant moment. It certainly makes this a special #Diwali

1. There will be a widespread sense of relief that the chaos of the last few days (indeed months) will come to an end, though notion of Boris Johnson staying on as PM until autumn seems far from ideal, and surely not sustainable?

https://twitter.com/pippacrerar/status/1544957321029328898

2. Boris Johnson was always manifestly unfit to be PM and the Tories should never have elected him leader or sustained him in office for as long as they have. But the problems run much deeper than one individual. The Westminster system is broken.

1/ The @scotgov ‘super-sponsor’ scheme for 🇺🇦 is now open. If you are seeking refuge from the war, 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 wants to welcome you - by selecting “Scottish Government” on the UK visa application site at gov.uk/guidance/apply… we hope to offer you a quick & easy route here. 2/ The screenshot below shows the page on which you should select ‘The Scottish Government’. Choosing this option means that you do not have to arrange an individual sponsor before coming to Scotland. We will help you do that once you are here

1/ If UK gov is not willing (wrongly in my view) to waive visa requirements for Ukrainians seeking refuge as other countries have done, it is vital that its community sponsorship scheme is easy to use, fast, humane and safe gov.scot/publications/u… 2/ While (not for want of trying) we don’t yet know all details, I am worried that it will be slow and cumbersome (people will need sponsors arranged before entry to UK), lack proper support and safeguarding, and not be sustainable for length of time people may need to be here

1/ Just chaired another @scotgov resilience meeting on weather. There are amber/yellow @metoffice warnings in place for all of Scotland as Storm #Corrie sets in - please heed the warnings and take care. Impacts from the storm are likely to be significant tonight & into tomorrow 2/ Work to repair the damage from Storm #Malik continues. Tens of thousands have had power reconnected already - however, many will remain off supply again tonight and some, especially in north east, could be off into Tuesday. Welfare arrangements are in place.

1/ It was a pleasure to chat with @SamBaker for The Shift, inc about menopause. Given my position & platform, I feel a responsibility to be open about my own experiences - but also real anxiety about it. My generation still feels the stigma & recalls all the HRT scare stories…

https://twitter.com/sambaker/status/1485895730476859395

2/ The menopause (though it shouldn’t be) is mystifying for women, and accessing support & treatment still far too difficult.
For me, the public nature of my job adds to the anxiety of all it might entail (my ‘joke’ in the podcast about hot flushes during FMQs is a real fear!)

1/ Yet another record tally of reported cases in 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 today - reflecting fact that Omicron is very, very infectious.

Likelihood of getting it just now if you mix with others is high.

💉 Tho remember - being boosted gives you significant protection against becoming v ill with it

https://twitter.com/scotgov/status/1476554039211008001

2/ Just as notable than cases is the steep rise in hospital occupancy, the largest single day increase in a while - a reminder that even if there is a lower % hospitalised through Omicron, sheer volume will still put acute pressure on NHS - and result in serious illness for many

1/ Provisional figures for cases reported over the Christmas weekend show the highest daily totals so far in pandemic.

25 December 2021: 8,252 cases
26 December 2021: 11,030 cases
27 December 2021: 10,562 cases

https://twitter.com/scotgov/status/1475487207196606466

2/ It is likely that we will see cases rise further in days ahead as the faster spreading Omicron wave continues (and the lag in test results comes through system).

Worth remembering tho that numbers would be higher still but for compliance with guidance issued in run up to Xmas

1/ @scotgov 🎄 advice:
➡️Cut contacts as much as poss in run up to Xmas Day - helps slow spread & also reduce risk of you catching virus & having to isolate at Xmas
➡️Keep Xmas/Boxing Day dinners as small as family circumstances allow, test in advance, wash hands, open windows

https://twitter.com/radioclydenews/status/1472991755473768449

2/ There’s no intention now on part of @scotgov to change our advice about household mixing up to and over Xmas weekend - I know how important clarity and certainty is at this stage.
However, after the Xmas w/e please cut contacts again/stay at home as much as poss for a period.

1/ This illustrates very powerfully the scale and extent of the #StormArwen impact in many parts of Scotland and across the U.K. The storm has caused - and is still causing - significant challenges and hardship for many people and communities…

https://twitter.com/ross_hutchinson/status/1465366816444850186

2/ The impact for the almost 17,000 in Scotland still without power is very severe. I understand how distressing this is and my thoughts are with those coping with an almost intolerable situation. Please be assured that effort is underway to reconnect people as fast as is safe…

#COP26

1/ The Glasgow Climate Pact is agreed.

Far from everything it should be, but many positives that must be built on. Limiting warming to 1.5 degrees now agreed imperative, movement on finance and (far too weak) wording on fossil fuels…

https://twitter.com/scotgovnetzero/status/1459620161804247043

2/ clear path to 1.5 degrees still needed (obligation for countries to come back next year with higher ambition to cut emissions vital) and lack of facility for loss & damage disappointing. The latter is a failure of our moral obligation to developing world and must be rectified

Best of luck @EmmaRaducanu 🎾🎾🎾 #USOpen

https://twitter.com/usopen/status/1436729805924356101

Here goes for one of the most exciting tennis matches since @andy_murray first won @Wimbledon

#ComeOnEmma

#USOpen

1/ Today’s reported Covid figures show a further increase - however, the vaccination impact is still clear. Vaccines are now doing much of the work we needed heavy restrictions to do in the last wave. And thankfully, we continue to see a much lower burden of serious illness…

https://twitter.com/scotgov/status/1410221945333895177

2/ We must care at this stage though, as we still have a significant % of the population not yet fully vaccinated. So, please:

😷Abide by rules - especially on indoor meetings - & follow all health advice.

👩‍⚕️Test regularly with LFDs, particularly if you plan to visit someone…

🧵 THREAD

1/ Another big increase in Covid cases in 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 today.

First, some context: a record number of tests were done yesterday, and % positive is down a bit.

BUT…if we want to get to end of restrictions on 9 August safely, we should take this increase seriously.

Why? /

https://twitter.com/scotgov/status/1407685324466233352

2/ Vaccines are breaking link between cases/illness/deaths - that’s 👍 and lets us target 19/7 & 9/8 as dates for lifting all restrictions.

BUT…period between now & then, with a sizeable (though reducing daily) % of population not yet fully vaccinated demands caution.

Why?/

1/ I’m understandably inundated with messages about y’day’s disgraceful scenes in Glasgow. Police still have a job to do, which restrains my comments to some extent - but to say I’m utterly disgusted by the Rangers fans who rampaged through the city would be an understatement... 2/ I’m also angry on behalf of every law abiding citizen. In normal times, the violence & vandalism, & the vile anti Catholic prejudice that was on display, would have been utterly unacceptable. But mid-pandemic, in a city with cases on the rise, it was also selfish beyond belief

1/ If you live in - or have recently spent time in - the Southside of Glasgow, PLEASE help get this outbreak under control by taking a test. I’ve just done so myself - thankfully negative! In this thread, I’ll post some useful links about where to access tests and what to do. 2/ Home lateral flow testing kits can be collected from the following Southside locations:

⚫ Govanhill - Calder St Health Centre car park
⚫ Glasgow Central Mosque
⚫ Tramway (Overflow Car Park), Pollokshields

You can also order online 👉 ow.ly/othq50EMWdy

1/ Today’s events were entirely down to @ukhomeoffice actions. @policescotland were in an invidious position - they do not assist in the removal of asylum seekers but do have a duty to protect public safety. They act independently of ministers, but I support this decision

https://twitter.com/policescotland/status/1392874548329132035

2/ I disagree fundamentally with @ukhomeoffice immigration policy but even putting that aside, this action was unacceptable. To act in this way, in the heart of a Muslim community as they celebrated Eid, and in an area experiencing a Covid outbreak was a health & safety risk

1/5 The rapid increase in Covid cases, driven by the new variant, is of v serious concern. The steep increases & severe NHS pressure being experienced in other parts of the UK is a sign of what may lie ahead. So we must take all steps to slow spread while vaccination progresses 2/5 We, like other countries, are in a race between this faster spreading strain of Covid and the vaccination programme. As we work to vaccinate as quickly as possible, we must also do more to slow down the virus - to save lives & help the NHS care for all those who need it

1/ Spent much of today in meetings about the impact of closure of France-UK border to accompanied freight, and @scotgov⁩ is actively engaged in supporting resolution of these issues. A few points worth highlighting... bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotla… 2/ The most urgent priority is for UK to reach agreement with France on a protocol that will get freight moving again. There is not a moment to lose on this and while the UK government has lead responsibility here, we will do all we can to support.

1/ I was heartbroken to learn this morning of the passing of Sir Sean Connery. Our nation today mourns one of her best loved sons.
bbc.co.uk/news/entertain… 2/ Sean was born into a working class Edinburgh family and through talent & sheer hard work, became an international film icon and one of the world's most accomplished actors

Re speculation about lockdown in England -
1/ Prevalence of the virus is currently lower in Scotland than in other parts of the UK and there are early signs that the tough restrictions in place since we moved quickly in late September have started to slow the rate of increase... 2/ We will base decisions on circumstances here - though what happens just across our border is clearly not irrelevant to our considerations. In coming days @scotgov will consider data on the spread of the virus, as we always do, and take account of any developments in England...