Nicola Sturgeon insists she 'acted in-line' with policy amid Covid inquiry

Nicola Sturgeon has insisted she “acted in-line” with Scottish Government policy as the UK Covid inquiry continues.

The former first minister said in a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter, that she had submitted copies of her deleted messages to the counsel.

This comes after Jamie Dawson KC, counsel to the inquiry, said the former First Minister appeared to “have retained no messages whatsoever”.

Sturgeon confirmed that the messages were not retained on her own device but they were obtained through copies submitted in 2023.

Statement re UK Covid Inquiry:

I do not intend to give a running commentary on the ongoing Inquiry. Instead, out of respect to all those impacted by the pandemic, I will answer questions directly and openly when I give evidence at the end of this month

However, in light of…
— Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) January 20, 2024

The MSP also refuted claims she had made decisions about her Covid response via WhatsApp.

“To be clear, I conducted the Covid response through formal processes from my office in St Andrews House, not through WhatsApp or any other informal messaging platform.

“I was not a member of any WhatsApp groups. The number of people I communicated with through informal messaging at all was limited,” she wrote.

Surgeon also addressed claims of whether Scottish independence was a key driver for her decisions throughout the pandemic, she she shared her thinking with the country on a “daily basis”

“I did not get every decision right – far from it – but I was motivated only, and at all times, by the determination to keep people as safe as possible,” she said.

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The Scottish Government is committed to responding to both the UK and Scottish Covid-19 inquiries, as learning lessons from the pandemic is vital to prepare for the future.

“It would be inappropriate to comment on any matters being considered by the UK Covid Inquiry while hearings are ongoing.”