Mornings with Stephen Jardine
BBC Radio Scotland

Image source, PA Media

Scotland's hospitality trade risks losing 40,000 jobs unless the two-metre social distancing rule is reduced to one metre, the convener of the Glasgow licence forum tells BBC Radio Scotland, saying: "We've got to save the economy here."

Donald MacLeod admits that his nightclub businesses, The Garage and Cathouse in Glasgow, will not reopen until the rule is reduced to zero, which he expects will be "September or October at the earliest".

Rejecting First Minister Nicola Sturgeon's suggestion that she is following the science by sticking to the 2m rule, he says: "There's various different science out there and the World Health Organisation is suggesting a metre as a minimum distance and some within that organisation are saying it doesn't work at all anyway - it is not the main spreader of the virus."

Mr MacLeod, who has 170 employees, points out that 280,000 people are reliant on the hospitality sector - Scotland's biggest employer - but two-thirds of those establishments cannot reopen with a 2m rule.

Douglas Fraser
Scotland business & economy editor

Image source, PA Media

There were wide variations in the estimated drop in economic output during April, but no doubt it would be many times bigger than anything seen before. At 20.4%, it hit the mid-point of estimates.

Contrast that with the 13-month contraction in 2008-09 of 6.9%. The previous worst single month of production fall was an 8% drop in February 1972, during a miners' strike.

A drop of one fifth Is what you can expect when you slam the brakes on much of the economy, shut education and tell people to stay at home. Most signs for May were of activity picking up. Even with a second spike, we’re unlikely to see April’s like again.

So no surprise in these UK figures, particularly that hotels, aviation and car sales were among those seeing a one-month drop of more than 80%.

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The boost to equipment supply for the NHS saw that category rise 5%. It’s worth noting that the category dominated by oil and gas production was down 12%.

We were buying more food and drink in shops, but far less in restaurants and pubs, with the net effect of a 12% drop.

We were using more electricity and gas at home, for work, entertainment and cooking, but less in the office, factory and warehouse: net effect, again down 12%.

One category that stabilised in April after a huge spike of activity in March was paper products. The hoarding of toilet roll seems a long time ago.

Glenn Campbell
BBC Scotland Political Correspondent

Mornings with Stephen Jardine
BBC Radio Scotland

Image source, bbc

Mornings with Stephen Jardine is under way. Here's what's on the menu:

• Scotland’s tourism chiefs have expressed fears keeping the two metre rule could cost “tens of thousands of jobs” unless it is changed. Is 2 metres too much? Stephen wants to know what you think.
• No summer holiday? No problem! Meet the couple who couldn’t go to Ibiza so instead brought Ibiza to them.
• The Scottish family petitioning to change the way school children learn about racism
• This would normally be peak wedding season – Stephen takes your questions on disrupted wedding plans?
• Elbow bumps but no hugs - what’s the new way to greet friends and family?

Good Morning Scotland
BBC Radio Scotland

Image source, PA Media

Andrew Wilson says Scotland is more exposed to the impact of Covid-19, irrespective of government actions - because of the sectors we rely on. The oil and gas sector and the tourism/hospitality industry are among the hardest hit.

The former SNP MSP, who chairs the Scottish government's growth commission, says the intervention needed is going to be greater.

He also says the reduction of the 2m rule to 1m will be needed when the time is right.

It is "mission-critical" for many businesses who just will not be able to operate, he suggests - they will fail and jobs will be lost.

Mr Wilson wants to see the UK and Scottish governments working together to access cheap government debt and invest on a grand scale to try to get the economy through what is going to be "a dire period of months and possibly years to come".

He admits the decision to leave lockdown later will cost the country - but it is a balance.

Good Morning Scotland
BBC Radio Scotland

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The impact of the coronavirus crisis on the UK economy has been laid bare in the latest data on the UK's Gross Domestic Product, which covers the first full month under lockdown.

The fall of over 20% in economic output is the worst slump in a single quarter since records began.

Former SNP MSP - Andrew Wilson who chairs the Scottish Government's Growth Commission - told Good Morning Scotland the last thing we need now is Brexit.

He says that we should not be proceeding with an early exit from the single market because business can't cope with the twin hits of Covid-19 and a disorderly Brexit.

He said the GDP figures underline how dire the situation is.

Good Morning Scotland
BBC Radio Scotland

The 2m social distancing rule should be cut to 1m as soon as possible, the Scottish Secretary has said.

Alister Jack told Good Morning Scotland that the tourism and hospitality sector is “effectively going to face three winters” unless it can be restarted this summer.

He said: “For a lot of hospitality businesses they need two metres to become one metre when it is safe to do so to be economically viable."

Asked when the UK government would change its rule, Mr Jack said the prime minister had an "open mind" about switching to 1m social distancing, which is being used in some other parts of Europe.

Mr Jack also said that he would have preferred the planned restart date for Scotland's tourism sector to be two weeks earlier than the proposed 15 July date.

Image source, THE REAL MARY KING'S CLOSE

Good Morning Scotland
BBC Radio Scotland

Alister Jack, the Secretary of State for Scotland, has called on Nicola Sturgeon to speed up the easing of coronavirus lockdown measures.

The UK Government minister told Good Morning Scotland that the falling infection and transmission rates would justify Ms Sturgeon making the changes sooner.

He said: “She [Nicola Sturgeon] did say the phases could move more quickly if the virus receded more quickly and I believe we are seeing that.

"Outside of care homes, in the community we are seeing a relatively low R number and therefore I do think we can move more quickly to open up the economy.

“It is critical in order to save people’s livelihoods that we open the economy as quickly as possible.”

Image source, bbc

Douglas Fraser
Scotland business & economy editor

BBC Scotland business and economy editor Douglas Fraser has described the 20% fall in UK GDP due to the coronavirus lockdown as "off the scale".

He said the figures are in the "mid range" of the forecasts made about the impact the the first full month of lockdown - but are nonetheless the worst on record by some distance.

He said: "If you lock down the economy, close schools, close hospitality the economy doesn’t stop but much of it does."

Angie Brown
Edinburgh and East reporter

Image source, seonaid russell

A boy has finally been reunited with his seaman father who he had longed to see while his boat was moored near their house during lockdown.

Four-year-old Euan Gordon had only been able to wave to his dad Alasdair when the vessel docked just 100m (328ft) from their home in Oban.

But now Alasdair has finished his stint at sea and returned to his family.

Mum Seonaid Russell said it had been like Christmas Day when her son was reunited with his father.

Alasdair Gordon, 41, is in charge of the deck on the Pharos, which is responsible for the operation of Scottish lighthouses. Under normal circumstances, when the boat is moored near his home he can spend the night with his family.

But since the lockdown began, Alasdair and his crew have been instructed to stay on the ship when it is tied up in dock.

However, he has now finished his latest stint at sea and been allowed to go home for 28 days.

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The fall in GDP due to the coronavirus lockdown is "unprecedented", the Office of National Statistics (ONS) has said.

Jonathan Athow, deputy national statistician at the ONS, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that "virtually every sector has been shrinking" and it is "highly likely" that April will be the low point of economic output.

He said: "20% is really unprecedented. Actually, if you take March and April together the fall was 25%. So in two months the economy shrank by a quarter

"It is really too early to know how quickly economic activity will recover in the coming months."

Image source, Getty Images

Good Morning Scotland
BBC Radio Scotland

Trade unions have called for a bold plan to restart the economy after it contracted by more than a fifth in the first full month of lockdown,

Geoff Tily, chief economist with the Trades Union Congress, told Good Morning Scotland that the UK and Scottish governments adopting an “austerity mentality” will only slow down the recovery.

He said: "The majority of opinion is saying don’t do austerity, take a bolder approach with jobs, strengthen the manufacturing sector and the green economy, these actions are good for the economy and in turn are better for the public purse."

Mr Tily said the furlough scheme should continue for “as long as it needs to” but other job creation and investment projects need to be ready to go when it ends.

Kevin Keane
BBC Scotland environment correspondent

A street in Glasgow, known to be a pollution hot-spot, has seen Britain's biggest improvement in air quality since the coronavirus lockdown.

Nitrogen dioxide levels in Hope Street have fallen from 56.6 micrograms per cubic metre to 18.7.

Researchers studied readings from 32 sites in Scotland, Wales and England and compared them with "business as usual" figures.

Hope Street has consistently been one of the most polluted roads in Scotland.

The study was carried out by environmental consultancy Ricardo.

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A few of Friday's front pages look at the state of Scotland's economy in the wake of coronavirus. The Scotsman is one of them, leading with the news that a third of Scotland's workers are being supported by the state through the furlough scheme. This equates to about a quarter of a million jobs. the paper reports.

Find out what the rest of the papers are leading with in our paper review.

Image source, getty images

The UK economy contracted by more than a fifth in the first full month of lockdown, as shops and factories closed and workers were sent home.

The Office for National Statistics said that economic activity was down by 20.4% in April, the largest drop in a single month since records began in 1997.

It means that GDP fell by 10.4% in the three months to April and sets the UK on course for one of its worst quarters in history.

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The UK economy shrunk by 20.4% in April, the largest monthly contraction on record.

The figures take in the first full month of the coronavirus lockdown period.

Image source, bbc

"Peter" the barber has been working illegally during lockdown.

He does up to eight jobs a day in the gardens of customers' homes.

"We're not just worried about the money, we're worried about them as well," he said.

"They're all stressing out, they're all texting us, 'look at the state of me, look what's happened to me look at my hair.' We feel for them. So we're under a lot of pressure."

By contrast, another hairdresser is sticking to lockdown rules despite major financial problems for his business.

Karl Linich says regular customers at his salon in Glasgow are often calling out to him, asking when he will reopen.

But he remains adamant he won't restart the business until the authorities say it is safe.

"It's dangerous - if you were to go and do that, you don't know what you're putting yourself into, it's dangerous territory. It's the same thing as opening the door and letting people in," he said.

• Read more here , external

• The Scottish government revealed the latest data about the R-number - on 5 June it was estimated to be between 0.6 and 0.8

• First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said that based on the evidence, there will be no change to the two metre rule
• The construction industry can move from its preparatory phase. Work on building sites can be carried out and be restored to full capacity "gradually"
• The Scottish government is bringing forward £11.4m of discretionary funding to help students in difficulty
• Latest figures show there are 628,200 furloughed workers in Scotland
• British Gas owner Centrica is to cut 5,000 jobs
• As many as 1,800 jobs could be axed by the Macdonald Hotel chain
• A new bill to place restrictions on the promotion of junk food is "paused" by the Scottish government to provide an opportunity to take into account the impact of lockdown
• Young people have been hardest hit by a fall in their income during lockdown as more of their money goes on essentials, official data suggests
• Celtic and Ross County resume non-contact training in small groups, with other Scottish Premiership teams to follow
• There have been more than 7.3 million infections globally and more than 416,000 deaths

Image source, Getty Images

Welcome to BBC Scotland's live page.

We will bring you all the latest news on the coronavirus pandemic in Scotland, including the first minister's briefing this afternoon at 12:30.