TOP health officials lovebombed lockdown-busting chief medical officer Catherine Calderwood with gushing tributes after she quit in disgrace.
Deputy Sir Gregor Smith vowed his “eternal respect” for his shamed boss while others hailed her “legacy” in newly released WhatsApp texts.
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Another colleague hailed her as a “role model” in the group chat hours after we exposed her 44-mile trip to her plush holiday home in breach of tight restrictions at the height of the health emergency.
Then-First Minister Nicola Sturgeon initally defended her close adviser over the jaunt to Earlsferry, Fife before she stepped down on.
And newly seen messages show how high-ranking civil servants rallied behind the ousted chief in their ‘Professional Adviser’ WhatsApp group — beginning at 11.13pm, six minutes after they were informed of her resignation.
Senior medical officer Dr Andrew Riley began: “I am so very sorry to hear that Catherine and want to take this opportunity to wish you and your family all the best during these very difficult times. Stay strong.”
Deputy chief nurse Diane Murray agreed at 11.19pm: “Dear Catherine, great thanks for all your hard work and leadership over the years and in particular during this crisis. Take care.”
Senior adviser John Harden, later promoted to deputy national clinical director under Jason Leitch, then chipped in: “I’m so sorry to hear that Catherine. Best wishes to you and your family and thank you for your leadership.”
Alison Strath, later promoted to chief pharmaceutical officer during Humza Yousaf’s stint as First Minister, said at 11.21pm: “I am so very sorry to read this Catherine – I am very sad that you have felt this was your only option although I completely respect and understand your decision.
“You have always been a role model to me and others and a kind and inspiring leader and I am privileged to have worked as part of your time. I will miss you X.”
Clinical adviser Graham Ellis thanked Dr Calderwood for her “hard work and leadership” at 11.27pm.
Another official, whose name is redacted, posted two minutes later: “Be kind to yourself- this will pass.”
Senior medical officer Corrine Love told of her sadness at 11.54pm. She wrote: “Really sorry to hear this. Your leadership has been amazing and inspiring.
Take cate [sic] of yourself and your family.”
The show of support can be revealed after The Scottish Sun on Sunday revealed high-profile UK pandemic chiefs including Chris Whitty and Jonathan Van Tam urged Dr Calderwood to stay on in the wake of the scandal.
Bombshell WhatsApps reveal ‘another betrayal’
DISGRACED top doctor Catherine Calderwood boasted she would try to “ride out” the storm over her infamous lockdown breach in a chummy WhatsApp chat with UK colleagues, we revealed yesterday.
The former chief medical officer was caught illegally visiting her holiday pad in Earlsferry, Fife, twice in 2020 while fronting Covid ads telling Scots to stay at home.
Maggie Waterton, whose mum and husband died in the pandemic, called it “another betrayal of trust”.
Britain’s pandemic chiefs secretly rallied behind Scotland’s Chief Medical Officer after she flouted lockdown laws, The Scottish Sun can reveal.
Household names including Chris Whitty and Jonathan Van Tam urged Dr Catherine Calderwood, 55, not to resign after we exposed her visit to her holiday home at the height of the Covid crisis in April 2020.
The top medics even attacked our exclusive about her 44-mile jaunt to Earlsferry, Fife — which came as she fronted telly TV adverts ordering the public to “Stay home, protect Scotland’s NHS and save lives”.
Sensational WhatsApp messages also reveal Dr Calderwood boasting to fellow CMOs she’d “try to ride it out” as she faced calls to quit.
A timestamp suggests that she sent that text while standing beside then First Minister Nicola Sturgeon in a dramatic TV media briefing.
But we can reveal the disgraced CMO was backed by her counterparts in the rest of the UK despite the facts of the story being known since 9.45pm on Saturday, April 4, when our story went online.
The following morning, Dr Calderwood texted a WhatsApp group of senior medical advisers with a link to a follow-up of our story.
They included Chris Whitty, England’s chief medical officer, and his deputies at the time, Jonathan Van-Tam and Jenny Harries.
Northern Ireland’s CMO Michael McBride and Frank Atherton, from Wales, were also in the chat group.
On Sunday, April 5, at 11.51am, Dr Calderwood texted: “All — to be aware. I had a few hours off but this was clearly an error of judgement. I am issuing an apology now.”
Dr Atherton blasted the story at 12.45pm, saying: “Saw that earlier; worst of tabloid journalism. Don’t let them get to you.”
At 1.16pm, Professor Whitty replied to the attack on our story, telling Dr Atherton: “Agree.”
At 1.28pm, Professor Van-Tam wrote: “I find it deeply dispiriting to hear of these kinds of things. You are doing a fantastic job.”
But it appears Dr Calderwood texted the group while she and Ms Sturgeon were being grilled about her lockdown breach.
During the 38-minute TV briefing, starting at 2.33pm on the Sunday, she stood at a lectern next to Ms Sturgeon and then Health Secretary Jeane Freeman.
And in a WhatsApp that appears to have been sent at 3.05pm — before the briefing ended — Dr Calderwood admitted: “It’s not good. Calls for me to resign. I will try to ride it out.”
But by 6.22pm, she seemed to be reluctantly accepting her fate, telling the CMOs: “I may not manage to survive it I’m afraid.”
Dr Calderwood then sent her final message to that group at 9.40pm.
But this was blanked out in a released transcript.
Her resignation was announced by the Scottish Government at 9.54pm.
Another un-named official adds at 6.49am the next morning that Dr Calderwood “will be missed”.
Then, at 8.30am, Sir Gregor issued a 131-word tribute to the woman he would replace.
He told colleagues he had been “privileged” as her deputy, adding: “I told her last night this has been the best, most enjoyable period of my career.”
The prominent civil servant continued: “We’ve worked hard together and well together and she has my eternal respect for what she has achieved as a superb CMO.
“Today will be about remembering that but also ensuring we stay focused and not distracted. We owe it to Catherine to see this through.”
Adviser Mike Gillies texted at 8.49am: “Very sorry to hear this Catherine.”
Ms McQueen added at 9.12am: “I will miss Catherine and am sad today — Catherine thank you for being you – you have left us a legacy that can be built on going forwards.”
Read more on the Scottish Sun
Senior medical adviser John Colvin rounded off the tributes at 9.28am.
He said: “You have built a legacy in your time as CMO — we need realistic medicine and compassion more than ever at this difficult time.”
