South Scotland MSP Colin Smyth has expressed his disappointment that Dumfries and Galloway is set to stay in level 2 restrictions for another week.

This is despite the fact the region is level 1 in four of the Scottish Government’s own indicators and level 0 in another.

The outcome of the weekly review of Scotland’s Covid-19 restriction was announced in the Scottish Parliament by the First Minister on Tuesday who confirmed that Dumfries and Galloway would stay at level 2 for another week. She told parliament that in the coming weeks it would be decided if the region would move down to level 1.

Colin Smyth said: “Based on its own criteria, it is deeply disappointing that the Scottish Government is keeping Dumfries and Galloway in level 2.

“People in our region have worked hard to follow tough restrictions, and would be right to ask just what more they need to do to see a move to level 1 restrictions.

“While everyone recognises that this virus is still dangerous and we must all remain vigilant, unless the government follows its own guidelines, people will quickly lose faith in them.

“Our region is suffering because the Scottish Government has failed to get the virus under control in the central belt, in particular our proximity to Lanarkshire and Ayrshire which have been moved into level 4 Covid restrictions.

“There is a growing feeling that had the Government followed the scientific advice in October to introduce tougher restrictions in the central belt in the form of a circuit breaker, the current moves to level 4 may have been avoided, with all the knock on effects that is having on regions like ours.”