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Nicola Sturgeon will give evidence to the official Covid inquiry today amid ongoing scrutiny over deleted WhatsApp messages.
Scotland’s former first minister, who resigned last year, is scheduled to give testimony for a full day at hearings being held in Edinburgh.
Several figures in Ms Sturgeon’s government have already faced questions at the inquiry about their deletion of WhatsApp messages during the pandemic.
Ms Sturgeon has conceded that messages had not been retained on her own devices but said she has managed to retrieve copies to submit to the probe.
She said informal messages were handed over to the inquiry last year.
Scottish Government ministers and officials have said decisions were routinely recorded on the official system even if messages were deleted in line with policy.
Last week, Ms Sturgeon’s former chief of staff, Liz Lloyd, gave evidence to the inquiry.
After message exchanges between the pair were shown in evidence, Ms Lloyd denied a decision about guest limits on weddings during the pandemic was made “on the hoof”.
In one message seen by the inquiry, Ms Sturgeon referred to then prime minister Boris Johnson as a “f****** clown.”
Sturgeon insists government acted with transparency
Nicola Sturgeon has insisted that she and her government acted with “transparency” and openness during the Covid pandemic.
The former FM was read out a section of her statement to the inquiry in which she said Holyrood ministers acted in a formal and “serious” manner.
In her statement, Ms Sturgeon also said she did not make “extensive use” of informal messages to reach decisions during this time - as it has been claimed that the Westminster government did.
When asked if it was still her position today that the Scottish government was “open, transparent and accountable” in their actions and words, she replied: “Yes, that is still my position.”
Sturgeon about to give evidence
Ms Sturgeon is about to start giving evidence to the Covid inquiry.
We’ll bring you text updates from the session but you can also watch it on our YouTube channel.
Just follow the link below for the live stream:
Sturgeon arrives at inquiry
Nicola Sturgeon has been spotted arriving at the Covid inquiry ahead of her day of giving evidence.
The former first minister was pictured earlier this morning getting out of a dark-coloured car at Edinburgh’s International Conference Centre.
She was wearing a navy outfit and accompanied by her security team.
Recap: Sturgeon’s pandemic WhatsApp messages deleted, Covid inquiry hears
At a hearing in Edinburgh, the official investigation into the Covid crisis was told that the former first minister of Scotland had “retained no messages whatsoever”.
Jamie Dawson KC, counsel to the inquiry, revealed a document provided by the Scottish government about which WhatsApp messages it could provide and said that all Ms Sturgeon’s messages had been deleted.
Full report:
ICYMI: Sturgeon called Boris a ‘f****** clown’ over ‘utter incompetence’ in handling Covid, WhatsApps reveal
WhatsApp messages shared between the ex-SNP leader and her top adviser, Liz Lloyd, shown at the Covid inquiry demonstrated the utter disdain with which the then-prime minister was held.
Full report:
Sturgeon could also face questions about asking health chief to contact her ‘privately'
Ms Sturgeon may also face questions about her decision to provide public health expert professor Devi Sridhar with her SNP email address to be contacted “privately”.
It is understood Ms Sturgeon forwarded any such emails to the Scottish government and offered to supply the inquiry with them if required.
Former Scottish government ministers Kate Forbes and John Swinney gave evidence to the inquiry on Tuesday.
Mr Swinney said he “manually” deleted messages between himself, Ms Sturgeon and Mr Yousaf in a practice which could date back to 2007.
Good morning and welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of the Covid inquiry.
Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s former first minister, is giving evidence today at hearings being held in Edinburgh.
Stay tuned for all the latest updates.
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2024-01-31 16:40:16Z
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