Relations between Downing Street and Bute House have been bumping along rock bottom for several weeks now.
No issue has seemed too big for a petty squabble, whether climate change or the drug death crisis, Boris Johnson and Nicola Sturgeon have not been able to get on the same page.
There appeared to be signs of a truce this morning, however, as Edinburgh and London came together at a Cobra meeting to plot a response to the coronavirus outbreak.
The UK Government, along with the devolved administrations and health experts, agreed a battle plan to contain the virus and set up contingencies in the event it spreads.
After the emergency summit, both Ms Sturgeon and Mr Johnson were keen to talk up how the “four governments” and “four nations” of the UK were working together.
The move was a breath of fresh air. After the row over the climate conference in Glasgow and the spectre of two rival conferences on drug deaths last week many could be forgiven for wondering whether the administrations could put the constitution aside to deal with a matter of national and international importance.
There was of course still some point scoring, as the first minister ensured her TV appearance following the meeting was before the prime minister’s, but in general the SNP and Tories seem united in their approach.
For now, the advice is pretty simple, wash your hands at regular intervals with soap and warm water.
As the month progresses and the UK, as is expected, moves from a containment phase to a treatment phase the public will see some “changes in relation to everyday things”.
At the moment, the UK Government is keen to avoid panic and has adopted an “as and when” approach in briefings, with questions about expected infection levels or whether the military would be deployed in a pandemic sidestepped.
Ms Sturgeon, who was health minister during the swine flu outbreak in 2009, has been more open in releasing information – revealing that 80% of the population could get coronavirus in the “reasonable worst case” scenario.
For the public, keen for accurate information and advice, it would be helpful if this unity of purpose could remain.
