THE POLITICIAN TIPPED AS SUCCESSOR TO MERKEL OUTLINES HOW TO BEAT COVID-19

Scotland has got to be like Germany if you want to defeat this terrible virus. You’ve got to test and track the country

- John Ferguson

MEP with Scots dad says that Europe must unite against pandemic

The German politician tipped to succeed Angela Merkel has urged Scotland to test and track in the fight against coronavirus.

MEP David McAllister, whose nation has had one of Europe’s lowest death rates, said Germany would be happy to treat our worst-hit victims.

McAllister, whose father was a Glaswegian soldier, branded the Covid-19 pandemic the biggest challenge Europe has faced since the war and called for a unified battle plan.

The lawyer said: “As a German with a Scottish background, I am very clear I thought Brexit on January 31 was the saddest day in the history of European integration since we started in 1957.

“It was very emotional when the Union Jack was lowered in front of the European institutions and I still believe Scotland and the UK would be better off within it.

“But we now need to support each other the best we can as we confront this crisis.

“For example, we have free capacity in our intensive care units in Germany – free ICU beds that can be used for people from wherever they come.

“We’ve already taken patients from France and Italy and, when we talk about showing solidarity to the UK and Scotland, we mean solidarity.

“We will do anything we can to help fight this disease because this is the biggest challenge Europe has faced since World War II.

“We do not know what is going to happen in the coming months and this should make us just as humble as all other countries and not overconfident. We all need to work together.”