THIS is the moment Humza Yousaf, Jason Leitch and a top SNP aide dodge questions as they leave the Covid Inquiry.
In a bruising week for the SNP, the Covid Inquiry revealed WhatsApp message deletions, swipes at the Westminster Government, and tips on how to bend the rules throughout the pandemic response.
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Officials including National Clinical Director Jason Leitch, former Health Secretary and now First Minister Humza Yousaf and Nicola Sturgeon’s former Chief of Staff Liz Lloyd appeared in front of the UK Covid Inquiry as it heard evidence in Edinburgh.
Nicola Sturgeon is herself expected to take the stand at the Inquiry next week.
Here is a round-up of some of the damming details to emerge this week.
Jason Leitch
The National Clinical Director came under fire after damning messages revealed deleting his WhatsApp messages was a “pre-bed ritual”.
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It came after anger mounted in October he was among around 70 Government officials who had wiped their pandemic messages.
An extract from a group chat involving senior officials in August 2020 showed a top civil servant reminding members to clear the chat as discussions could be disclosed under a Freedom of Information request.
And again in May 2021 Ken Thomson, the government’s former director-general for strategy and external affairs, reiterated: “I feel moved at this point to remind you that this channel is FOI-recoverable” with a zipper mouth emoji.
Several group members revealed they had cleared it with Prof Leitch saying: “WhatsApp deletion is a pre-bed ritual.”
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As he left the inquiry, Prof Leitch dodged questions from waiting reporters as he got into a ready waiting car.
Our reporter asked if he would apologise for deleting messages but he did not answer and the car drove away.
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Liz Lloyd
Nicola Sturgeon’s former top aide Liz Lloyd took the stand on Thursday.
Ms Lloyd and the former First Minister were accused of acting like ‘Mean Girls’ after messages revealed them slagging off then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
Bombshell messages showed Ms Sturgeon brandishing Mr Johnson a “f*****g clown” for his announcement of a second lockdown for England at the end of October 2020.
Ms Lloyd also said she wanted to set up a “good old fashioned rammy” with the Westminster Government over furlough so she could “think about something other than sick people.”
When asked what she meant by this by inquiry counsel Usman Tariq Ms Lloyd said it was an “expression of frustration” that the Scottish Government might not be able to do what it needed to.
Ms Lloyd was blasted after messages revealed she and her former boss mulling over pandemic responses.
This is despite Nicola Sturgeon insisting last week she did not “conduct the Covid response” through “WhatsApp or any other informal messaging platform.”
When Liz Lloyd left the inquiry she dodged reporters as she walked down the street.
But she did say: “I have answered the questions of the inquiry, that’s the responsibility
“I hope that is helpful to everyone who is looking for answers.”
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Humza Yousaf
The First Minister appeared at the Inquiry after Liz Lloyd.
Humza Yousaf took to the stand after facing questions from MSP during First Minister’s Question Time.
But Mr Yousaf had already come under scrutiny after it was revealed Prof Leitch offered him tips on how to bend the covid rules.
The Health secretary at the time had messaged Prof Leithc on November 19 2021 to ask for advice about the rules in place at the time ahead of attending a dinner event.
Prof Leitch told him to have a drink in his hands at all times when he stood and then he was exempt.
During questioning on Thursday, Mr Yousaf denied asking for a workaround for the facemask rules.
He admitted to using personal phones rather than government devices for messaging on WhatsApp.
And he said he did delete messages but was able to recover some from an old handset that was given to the inquiry.
Mr Yousaf also admitted there was “a gap” in the government’s message retention policy and said he had instructed an externally led review.
But he added the review would not have access to WhatsApp messages already destroyed by ministers and senior officials.
Before he answered any questions during his own questioning the Glasgow Pollock MSP issued an “unreserved” apology to the inquiry and the public over the government’s handling of informal messages.
But members of the Scottish Covid Bereaved Group said the statement was “too little, too late.
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He accepted the situation had caused “serious grief and trauma” and told Claire Mitchell KC, who was representing Scottish Covid Bereaved: “There is no excuses from me – that should have been handled better and, in the future, will be handled better.”
As he left, Mr Yousaf walked straight past reporters and smiled at security who then helped him into a waiting car.
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