One of Nicola Sturgeon’s most senior advisers ordered civil servants to investigate the use of the Union flag on Scotch beef packaging as Scotland recorded a two-month high in coronavirus deaths. Kate Higgins said it was “not on” for Marks and Spencer to sell Scotch beef packaged with a Union flag, emails obtained under Freedom of Information laws disclosed. She warned that if agency Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) was aware that Scotch beef was being marked as British “we have a problem”. The comments on Sept 8 came as Ms Sturgeon warned that Covid was “accelerating” across the country. She added: “I have reported three deaths today – that’s the first time I’ve had to do that in more than two months.” The First Minister asked the nation to “treat the current situation with the seriousness it most certainly merits.” After the SNP adviser pushed civil servants to investigate, QMS said Marks & Spencer had agreed to “review the fresh meat labelling”.
