HOW very dare she? Nicola Sturgeon’s call for Scots to use face-coverings (not masks) where physical distancing is impossible drew a predictable response from The Sun. The paper’s political editor Tom Newton Dunn tweeted: “Yet again, Sturgeon announces a measure before the UK Govt. If it’s not a concerted attempt to embarrass Westminster, it’s having precisely that effect anyway.”

Why the First Minister felt the need to respond, dear only knows.

The weakness of The Sun’s absurd position was clear for all to see.

Boris could only be embarrassed if his government was reaching the same decision, only much more slowly. I’m not sure anyone thinks challenge by a quicker moving devolved government is a political hanging offence these days.

Of course, the bothersome tweet also suggests the First Minister has form on beating Boris to the punch. Again, it’s hard to see how that’s a fault when lives are at stake.

Nicola holds daily press conferences earlier than the Westminster ones. Ooh la la.

She banned mass gatherings of more than 500 people when the UK Government let the Cheltenham Festival go ahead. Correct.

Her government declared Covid-19 a notifiable disease two weeks before England. Who’s complaining about that now? And the FM started talking about a probable phased return to school a fortnight before English Education Secretary Gavin Williamson came out with much the same stuff yesterday.

Better late than never.

In short, the Scottish Government has gained a UK-wide reputation for heading in the direction of international best practice slightly faster, with better explanation and more transparency than the sluggish UK Government. And whilst both governments have presided over Covid-related death rates that are amongst the highest in the world, only one had all the levers to act swiftly and decisively, with mitigation measures backed up by taxpayers’ cash.

So, there’s a wee snag for Mr Newton Dunn and associated naysayers. Practically no-one whose voice really matters in the Covid crisis has a problem with Nicola Sturgeon’s new guidance on face-covering.

Not even the scientists. According to Cambridge University virologist Dr Chris Smith, speaking on Good Morning Scotland, a “meta-analysis” of evidence on the subject undertaken by a fellow academic suggests face-covering confers “a small benefit” in certain situations. So, his verdict on the First Minister’s stance was unequivocal: “I agree. She’s spot-on with the way she worded that health advice.” Namely use a face covering when you can’t observe social distancing, wash the covering, wash your hands and don’t use it as a substitute for the core protective measures of hand washing and maintaining physical distance. We get it.

Even journalist critics of the Scottish Government thought The Sun’s mock horror was somewhat contrived. The Daily Record’s political editor Paul Hutcheon tweeted: “Finding the anxiety and anger about the First Minister making announcements before the UK Government weird. Either you believe there should be a Scottish Parliament, or you don’t.”

Well quite.

Health is a devolved power, so the Scottish Government actually must take its own decisions. Even Unionists who back devolution would agree with that.

So, Mr Newton Dunn should be congratulated for demonstrating clearly which government (and which paper) is totally out of step with public opinion in Scotland – and for showing us something important: that the First Minister’s relatively small deviation from the sacred four nations “locked-step” approach didn’t actually frighten the horses.

Why might that be?

Because folk have watched Panorama.

Because they’ve seen the UK Health Secretary describe a charity airlift of 150k PPE for NHS workers as “a brilliant initiative” – apparently unaware of how the Daily Mail’s

£1 million effort showcases his own government’s shortcomings.

They’ve watched the deaths total here dwarf the numbers who’ve lost their lives in smaller, lither, quicker to act neighbouring countries.

They are watching and judging.

READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon fires back at journalist's Twitter claim

THE First Minister should bear this in mind if she feels the need to deviate from the four-nation approach again. If a separate Scottish direction is taken for a scientifically justified reason or fears of delay at UK level, most opinion is probably on her side.

And that’s important, because the moment might arrive pretty soon. The UK Cabinet meeting today has been widely tipped as a confrontation in which the hawks and doves of the UK Cabinet will openly clash about the date and speed of leaving lockdown.

Earlier this week, a Tory-supporting paper reported: “Garden centres could reopen within a fortnight and local rubbish tips and recycling centers as early as this weekend under draft guidance submitted to Downing Street” – if the Cabinet approves it.

But strangely, a note of caution has been sounded about the dangers of such a high-speed lockdown exit … by none other than Tom Newton Dunn. The man at The Sun observes: “Without the track-and-trace scheme in place, it’s likely the Cabinet will decide the full lockdown must stay in place beyond the next review point on May 7.”

And why might track and trace not be ready? Because numbers with the virus must be reduced to 100,000, and according to the King’s College tracker, the estimated number is running at a scary and officially unacknowledged 350,000.

So, if the UK Cabinet decides to do a Trump, ignore the science and fire ahead with a phased return to work, minus a viable track-and-trace scheme, The Sun will back the First Minister, for standing her ground and refusing to comply, won’t it?

Aye, pigs might fly. And, of course, a big announcement could have been blown off course by the arrival of a bairn for Boris and Carrie Symonds in the early hours of yesterday morning. But if not this week, it’ll be just a matter of time before the UK Government leaps too far in releasing lockdown. What then?

The growing respect for Nicola Sturgeon across Scotland and beyond has been impressive. Chris Deerin from the New Statesman says: “Sturgeon is on course to fight the 2021 Scottish election as a national leader of real distinction, empathy and competence, due to her handling of the crisis.”

But if Westminster effectively fires a shot straight across her bows and Covid “red lines”, the First Minister will have no option but to change gear, break ranks and take Scotland out of the four-nations approach.

Not in a petty way. Germany’s Covid guru Christian Drosten has praised Angela Merkel and other (mostly female) world leaders for fiercely resisting the urge to score petty political points during this pandemic.

But if the Tories seem to be making another big mistake with British and Scottish lives, then demonstrating empathy and efficiency won’t be enough. The First Minister’s reputation will depend on her being smart enough to recognise another dangerous Westminster miscalculation quickly and tough enough to stand in the middle of the road and tell Boris that this is where Scotland gets off.

Yes, there’s the danger of more savaging by a two-faced tabloid press and the combined force of Messrs Carlaw, Leonard and Rennie. But evidently, an efficient, humane Scottish FM will get savaged all the time by Unionist rivals precisely because she’s doing her job very well.

Yes, there’s also the danger of reprisal from Westminster and perhaps the threat of withholding vital cash support to businesses, employers, employees and the self-employed. How bad that would look for the cause of the union.

There’s no point picking fights with Westminster, agreed. But no merit in ducking one when the time finally arrives either.