More than 10,000 people have backed a petition calling for Scotland to close its border with England amid concern of a second wave of Covid-19.
Discussion has been rife among politicians in recent days over 'border checks', after First Minister Nicola Sturgeon refused to rule out the possibility of quarantine visitors from England if cases surge.
She stressed that there are currently “no plans” to force visitors from other parts of the UK where virus levels are higher to self-isolate but has come under criticism for not completely ruling it out.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson weighed in on the debate on Wednesday, claiming that 'there is no border between Scotland and England'.
READ MORE: Jacob Rees-Mogg compares Nicola Sturgeon to Donald Trump in row over Scottish border
Now, thousands have backed a petition calling for the UK Government to give the devolved nations of the UK the power to close their borders to 'all but essential traffic'.
The change.org petition warns: “There is about to be a massive second wave of this new virus in England due to Tory ineptitude.
“The borders of both Scotland and Wales should be closed to all but essential traffic ie commerce, not casual trips that are in fact international from a COVID hot spot about to get worse.
“I beseech UK Gov to give this power to the devolved nations. This is at this time imperative to save thousands and thousands of lives.”
Since being launched last Friday, the plea has gathered 10,021 signatures from across the country.
Jacob Rees-Mogg suggested on Thursday that Nicola Sturgeon may be modelling herself on President Donald Trump amid the border debate.
He said that although it may not be a 'bricks and mortar' structure like Trump's border with Mexico, but Ms Sturgeon wants a 'metaphorical wall'.
During Business Questions on Thursday, Mr Rees-Mogg criticised Ms Sturgeon’s “shameful” remarks after SNP Commons business spokesman Tommy Sheppard said the Government is “led by someone who thinks the border does not exist”.
READ MORE: Coronavirus: Sturgeon refuses to rule out English quarantine amid tourism worry
Mr Rees-Mogg replied: “He mentions borders, and I noticed that Nicola Sturgeon wishes to have a wall – perhaps she is modelling herself on other leading political figures – between England and Scotland.
“But, as my right honourable friend the Prime Minister said, there is no border between England and Scotland and it was shameful to call for a border of that type of kind to be erected to stop people travelling freely between constituent parts of the United Kingdom.
“One never thought that Nicola Sturgeon would model herself on American political figures and want to build a wall – at least a metaphorical wall if not actually getting like Hadrian with the bricks and mortar.”
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