Scottish MEP Brian Monteith launched a blistering attack on First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, saying her actions have put a “severe strain” on the joint working arrangements of the UK Government and Scottish Government to tackle the coronavirus crisis together. He said Ms Sturgeon has been a “fly in the ointment” in the arrangements of a joint UK-wide approach to the invisible killer disease to instead push her desperate case for Scottish independence.

Mr Monteith, a Brexit Party MEP and former Scottish Tory MP, said “only from Scotland there emanates an unseemly contest with the rest of the UK” to tackle the coronavirus.

Writing for the Scotsman, he said: “We can all find it in our hearts to recognise there are some decisions that in these immensely challenging times – threatened as we are by an invisible killer that takes anyone’s life irrespective of wealth, race, religion, sex or other mark of identity – are best made at a UK level, or more locally, depending on the context, efficacy and ability to make it happen

“I cannot, however, say the same of the Scottish Government as it is currently run by the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon – as I believe in the manner she deals with the coronavirus pandemic is to put ideology first.

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“Since the beginning of arranging a joint UK-wide approach to the pandemic Nicola Sturgeon has been a fly in the ointment.”

Mr Monteith used examples to make his point, including when Ms Sturgeon was accused of announcing decisions in relation to a Cobra meeting ahead of the prime minister.

He said: “There has hardly been an instance of delivering the UK-wide approach in Scotland that Sturgeon has not rescheduled, reformed or renamed as the property of the SNP Scottish Government – even when it is not and when in every, repeat, every instance it has been paid for by all UK taxpayers.”

He also pointed out Ms Sturgeon’s decision to set up a Scottish volunteer scheme instead of a UK-wide scheme and the First Minister’s decision to name the UK-funded NHS hospital after a Scottish nurse instead of NHS Nightingale Glasgow.

Mr Monteith added: “Let’s not kid ourselves.

“At every turn the First Minister has sought to insert her own personal priority of Scottish independence into her response to the coronavirus pandemic.

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“She is putting ideology first and it should never be forgotten.”

Ms Sturgeon said on Sunday she will not rush to announce a lockdown exit strategy as she revealed another 12 coronavirus deaths in Scotland.

She revealed a total of 915 patients have died in Scotland after testing positive for coronavirus, up from 903 on Sunday.

Ms Sturgeon said 8,450 people have now tested positive for the virus in Scotland, up 263 from 8,187 the day before.

Ms Sturgeon said 8,450 people have now tested positive for the virus in Scotland, up 263 from 8,187 the day before.

There are 169 people in intensive care with coronavirus or coronavirus symptoms, a decrease of five on Sunday, she added, and 1,809 people are in hospital with confirmed or suspected Covid-19.

She said: “Towards the end of this week I will set out some of the factors that will guide our thinking for the future.”

But the “initial version of this work” will not set out what measures will be lifted and when, she said.

“Towards the end of this week I will set out some of the factors that will guide our thinking for the future,” the First Minister said.

But the “initial version of this work” will not set out what measures will be lifted and when, she said.

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