Good Morning Scotland
BBC Radio Scotland

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Dominic Cummings "should leave his post", says First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.

"I fear that Boris Johnson has put political interests before the public interest and the consequences are potentially very serious," she tells BBC Radio Scotland.

"Trust in public health messaging is very important and it gets more important as lockdown measures are eased and we rely much more on guidance and appealing to people's good judgement."

The prime minister has defended Cummings, who travelled to Durham from London, saying he had "no alternative" but to make the journey at the end of March for childcare "when both he and his wife were about to be incapacitated by coronavirus".

However, Ms Sturgeon points out that many other families would have "faced the same dilemmas but stuck to the rules". She adds that people have made "enormous sacrifices" and that it was important to stress that "everyone is in this together".

Good Morning Scotland
BBC Radio Scotland

The first minister says she is "hopeful and optimistic" that Scotland will be abe to move to the first phase of easing the lockdown restrictions this week.

Nicola Sturgeon told Good Morning Scotland that she will make a formal assessment on Thursday, but said the data suggested a move to phase one would be possible.

"It will be a cautious step forward because we have to keep the virus under control, but it will be the first step on that road, hopefully, to a greater degree of normality," she said.

Image source, PA Media

Good Morning Scotland
BBC Radio Scotland

Image source, Reuters

Scotland's home building industry is "ready to go" at the end of this week, insists Nicola Barclay of Homes for Scotland.

The government plan to ease restrictions on moving houses in phase two of their route map. Phase one is likely to begin on Thursday.

However, Ms Barclay tells BBC Radio Scotland: "I don't see any reason why we couldn't start from this Thursday.

"The lawyers, the lenders and removal firms have already said they have safe procedures in place for staff and customers.

"Most procedures have moved digitally over the last 10 weeks, there is very little face-to-face contact, even something like handing over keys can be done safely."

Good Morning Scotland
BBC Radio Scotland

"Boris Johnson doesn't want to lose Dominic Cummings, it's as simple as that," says Matthew Parris, broadcaster and former Conservative MP.

He tells BBC Radio Scotland: "Some people are outraged, others wonder what they might have done in those circumstances. I think it's more borderline than a lot of the media are saying.

"The prime minister will understand the public mood very well. But this is his most trusted adviser, who is terrifically important to him and who he likes and admires. He would be significantly weakened if he was to sack him.

"Now that's he's backed him, it would be a huge loss of face to back down, so I don't think he will. I don't think he has any choice other than toughing it out."

The front pages are dominated by the news that Prime Minister Boris Johnson is standing by his chief advisor.

You can check out the headlines here.

David Porter
Scotland Westminster editor

There are a lot of questions still to be answered on the Dominic Cummings story. The fact we don't have all of the information means that it is overshadowing what the UK government would like to be a very important week on their plans for easing lockdown.

There is a feeling that those in power are doing one thing and telling people to do another thing and that, in political terms, can be very dangerous.

Image source, Getty Images

A think tank has concluded that all graduates at Scottish universities should pay a financial contribution when they finish their studies.

Reform Scotland also said students from EU countries should pay fees next year as the "survival" of the higher education sector is at risk from the coronavirus pandemic.

The graduate endowment fee was abolished in 2007, meaning Scottish students do not have to pay anything towards the cost of undergraduate tuition.

Fees are still charged to students from the rest of the UK and outside the EU.

However the Scottish government said it was committed to free higher education for students living in Scotland and access "being based on the ability to learn, not the ability to pay".

Read more here.

Good Morning Scotland
BBC Radio Scotland

Image source, PA Media

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon is expected to be asked about the Dominic Cummings affair and her plans for easing lockdown during an interview on Good Morning Scotland shortly after 08:00.

Other topics coming up on the programme include:

• A survey by the union Unison finds many of those working in education in Scotland feel a great deal of anxiety about going back to work when lockdown constraints ease.
• Scottish university graduates should start to pay back some of the cost of their tuition, according to the political think tank Reform Scotland.

Good Morning Scotland starts at 07:00.

Image source, Getty Images

Welcome to Monday's coverage of the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis in Scotland.

Here's a recap of what happened yesterday.

• Police Scotland reveal they are investigating three deaths at a care home in Skye where 10 people have died in a coronavirus outbreak.
• The latest data shows 15,101 people have tested positive for Covid-19 in Scotland- with deaths reported to Public Health Scotland currently standing at 2,270.
• Prime minister Boris Johnson backed Dominic Cummings amid a row over the aide's travel during lockdown.
• Scotland's Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said there should be a review of social care in light of the devastation caused by coronavirus.