Nicola Sturgeon insisted Scotland would not be adopting Number's 10 "stay alert" slogan as Boris Johnson's new lockdown advice came under fire.
The First Minister, who said she had first heard of the slogan in the Sunday newspapers, said that the "clear message" to Scotland is still to “stay home" due to "the critical point we are at".
Her comments exposed a rift in the UK-wide response ahead of Mr Johnson's address to the nation, when he will set out the "road map" for easing the country's lockdown. Mr Johnson's new message of "stay alert, control the virus, save lives" is expected to replace the "stay home, stay lives" slogan.
Ms Sturgeon tweeted: “The Sunday papers is the first I’ve seen of the PM’s new slogan.
“It is of course for him to decide what’s most appropriate for England, but given the critical point we are at in tackling the virus, #StayHomeSaveLives remains my clear message to Scotland at this stage.”
“We hope that they will agree to a consistent approach across the country, that’s our strong preference,” he told Sky’s Sophy Ridge On Sunday.
But Wales’ First Minister Mark Drakeford also appeared to distance himself from Mr Johnson's new slogan, telling the show that the stay-home message had “not gone away”.
“The message I will be giving to people in Wales is while they must be alert to the continuing danger of coronavirus, if you’re not out of your house for an essential purpose – and that does include exercise, it can include shopping and it must include going to work for people who can safely do so – staying at home remains the best way that you can protect yourself and others,” Mr Drakeford said.
Wales Health Minister Vaughan Gething also said the Welsh Government's message "had not changed", adding: "There has not been a 4 nations agreement or discussion on this."
It comes amid an apparent difference in approach to easing the lockdown across the UK.
Ms Sturgeon previously urged Number 10 to employ "extreme caution" in any relaxation of measures and said she would not be "pressured" into lifting the lockdown earlier than she wanted.
And Mr Drakeford told Ridge that the Welsh Government’s relationship with the UK Government was one of “fits and starts”.
“When there is engagement it is good, and it is helpful, and I wish there could be more of it,” he said. He said he did not wish to see “fundamentally different” lockdown restrictions in England and Wales as it would be confusing and make the “basic message hard to convey”.
Other politicians also spoke out against the new slogan, with Andy Burnham, the Labour Mayor of Greater Manchester, saying that it “feels to me like a mistake to me to drop the clear” stay at home message.
Shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth said it risks ambiguity, adding: “We need absolute clarity from Boris Johnson. There’s no room for nuance in this.
“This virus exploits ambivalence, it thrives on ambiguity and I think the problem with the slogan that has been briefed to the newspapers is people will be looking slightly puzzled, questioning ‘What does it mean to stay alert? What are the Government saying with that?’
“So I hope that Boris Johnson will offer us that crystal-clear clarity tonight that is desperately needed.”
Ian Blackford, the SNP leader in Westminster, said: “What kind of buffoon thinks of this kind of nonsense? It is an invisible threat. Staying alert is not the answer.”
Mr Jenrick hit back at the criticism, saying a “broader” slogan is needed as the Government tries to restart the economy.
He told Ridge it was right now to “update and broaden” the message to the public and that he "hopes" it is not too woolly.
“I think that’s what the public want and that they will be able to understand this message, which is that we should be staying home as much as possible but when we do go to work and go about our business we need to remain vigilant, we need to stay alert,” he continued.
“And that means things like respecting others, remaining two meters apart, washing your hands, following the social distancing guidelines because the virus continues to be prevalent, too many people are still dying of this and we’re going to have to live with it for a long time.”
Pressed if there is a danger the message is too woolly, Mr Jenrick said: “Well I hope not."
He later sought to explain what the Government’s new “stay alert” message means.
Speaking on the Andrew Marr Show on the BBC, he added: “Stay alert will mean stay alert by staying home as much as possible.
“But stay alert when you do go out by maintaining social distancing, washing your hands, respecting others in the workplace and the other settings that you will go to.”
