Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s first minister has apologised for breaching Covid rules by taking her face mask off at a wake. A picture appeared in the Scottish press of her standing talking to three people at a social distance, but with her face uncovered.

Addressing MSPs at Holyrood, the first minister said she wanted to express “how sorry I am for my breach of rules that I ask all of us to follow”.

Ms Sturgeon said: “I want to be clear that regardless of the circumstances, I was in the wrong. There are no excuses.

“These rules do apply to me, just as they do to everyone else, and the rules really matter.

Or as her ever-present signer put it: