Devolution has become less dysfunctional during the pandemic

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OVER THE past fortnight, Britons fired up their barbecues, as fine weather coincided with a loosening of the covid-19 quarantine. But the etiquette of lockdown cook-offs varied by geography. In England six people have been able to gather in gardens since June 1st. In Scotland rules introduced three days earlier permit eight people from two households to meet, although they are urged to bring their own food and refrain from using the host’s toilet. There are no restrictions on the distance travelled by guests in England, but in Wales they should not go more than five miles. Schools in England have begun to open, but they will stay shut for longer elsewhere. Masks are endorsed in Scotland and England, but not in Wales.