Segregated – Old Firm fans kept apart at a Celtic v Rangers match.
By Bill Heaney
Police have warned football fans about behaving if they cross the border this weekend to watch the Old Firm match on television – especially in pubs and bars..
However, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, pictured right, has taken things a step farther and told Celtic and Rangers fans not travel at all.
And not to Blackpool in particular, a favourite destination for Scots at this time of year, to see the famous illuminations, not to watch football.
Ms Sturgeon has told anyone who does go to stay out of pubs and bars to avoid contracting Covid-19 in the seaside resort which has one of the highest infection rates in the UK.
She says those who do decide to go by bus should wear face masks all through the journey and to follow FACTS, the guidelines that have been spelt out repeatedly to the public since the beginning of the pandemic in March.
Prime Minister Boris Johnston at FMQs in Westminster refused to be persuaded by Labour leader Keith Starmer to go beyond the present “three tier” guidelines which have been imposed in England.
Johnston appeared determined not to down that route which has seen the worst affected areas, such as Liverpool, locked down for a month.
Meanwhile, pubs in the central belt of Scotland, including West Dunbartonshire but not Helensburgh, Cardross and the Argyll towns beyond, are currently closed until 25 October due to the pandemic.
But Cumbria Police said it was aware of plans by Celtic and Rangers supporters to travel to bars and social clubs in the county for the game.
And those who do put others at risk by flouting the rules have been told they face a fine.
The virus has already had an impact in the build-up to the Scottish Premier League match as three Celtic players have tested positive for Covid and a fourth has been told to self-isolate.
The world famous fixture is normally watched by 60,000 supporters, but the stands at Celtic Park will be empty for the 12:30 kick off due to Covid-19.
Cumbria police Superintendent Matt Kennerley said: “We understand restrictions on licensed premises in Scotland might offer the temptation to travel south of the border to visit our pubs and bars – but anybody breaching rules here does face a fine.
“We would like licensees to be aware of this and to think carefully about their responsibilities and the rules in place to protect everyone.”
He highlighted Scottish government advice which says people should not travel outside their local health board area.
Superintendent Kennerley said officers will be out in town centres and will not hesitate to enforce the regulations.
Meanwhile, a new poll has found the public views Scottish ministers’ handling of coronavirus as markedly better than their UK counterparts.
The Survation survey of more than 2,000 Scots – carried out for pro-independence group Progress Scotland – shows 67% believe the Scottish Government is competent, while 70% viewed Boris Johnson’s Cabinet as not competent.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon also received higher ratings for her handling of the pandemic than the Prime Minister for his.
Progress Scotland managing director Angus Robertson said: “This poll illustrates the significant difference in general public attitudes between the UK Government and the Scottish Government, which is largely positive towards Holyrood and negative towards Westminster.
“These findings are also mirrored in relation to specific questions on the handling of the coronavirus pandemic and between First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and Prime Minister Boris Johnson, pictured left.“Earlier parts of the poll have already been released which reflect how much opinion is changing in Scotland and impacting on views towards Scottish independence.
“The poll has already established that the highest-ever percentage of voters in Scotland now believe that there would be a Yes victory if a referendum were held tomorrow and that one-third of 2014 No voters have changed their minds to Yes or are not sure how they would vote.”
Perceptions of how the Scottish Government has dealt with the pandemic are significantly higher than perceptions of the UK.