NICOLA Sturgeon has warned Boris Johnson that any move to ditch the message telling people to stay at home during the coronavirus pandemic could be a "potentially catastrophic mistake". 

In a sign of increasing strains north and south of the Border, the First Minister made clear her displeasure at learning about the Prime Minister's potential plans through newspaper front pages. 

She said: "I'd rather not be reading about UK Government plans in the newspapers. 

"I'd rather not be seeing the front pages at midnight and that being the first I know of what they are planning. 

"And I hope over the next couple of days we can get back to proper discussions of these things."

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It came as Ms Sturgeon officially extended Scotland's lockdown for another three weeks, but stressed the rules could be changed "in the coming days" to allow people to exercise more than once a day.

There are widespread reports that Mr Johnson will move to ease some restrictions from next week, while the "stay at home" slogan could be dropped. 

Ms Sturgeon, who is due to speak to Mr Johnson by telephone later today, insisted this would be dangerous. 

She said: "I particularly strongly believe that for us to drop the clear, well-understood 'stay at home' message right now could be a potentially catastrophic mistake."

She later added: "Of all the stuff I've heard in the media today, the one thing that concerns me most deeply is the suggestion that as of Monday the UK Government in England – or any suggestion that this would happen in Scotland – would lift the 'stay at home' message.

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"Because people understand that apart from some limited exceptions, and over time we might increase what those exceptions are, right now it's stay at home.

"Now unless you're really clear what you're replacing that message with, what you risk is confusion and people ending up not complying because they don't understand what we're asking you to do. 

"Clarity of message here is really, really important."

Ms Sturgeon said guidance limiting outdoor exercise to once a day only may be changed in the coming days. 

However she would not be drawn on what this would mean in practice, and whether it would include sunbathing or sports such as tennis and golf.

She added: "The other possible changes that are reported in the media today, such as encouraging more people back to work now, or opening beer gardens or encouraging more use of public transport, would not in my judgement by safe for us to make yet."

There are increasing signs of strain between the UK Government and devolved administrations over plans to ease the lockdown.

Ms Sturgeon said the UK Government's plans, as reported in the media, have not yet been discussed with Scottish ministers or other devolved nations.

She said it is her "preference, if possible for all four UK nations to make changes together at the same pace, because that certainly helps us give clear, consistent messages to you, the public". 

She added: "However for that approach to work we must agree to make changes only when all four governments are satisfied that they don't risk a resurgence of the virus."

She said she must make judgements that are right and safe for Scotland, and she will not be pressured into lifting restrictions. 

She said: "What I do not want, a few weeks from now, is for us to see a resurgence of this virus and you to be asking me this, 'Why on earth did you start to ease lockdown a week or a couple of weeks too early.'

"It's not an exaggeration to say that the decisions we take now are a matter of life and death, and that is why they weigh so very, very heavily, and it's why they must be taken with great care, and it's why as I take them I will continue to err on the side of caution."