Cole-Hamilton responds to Gregor Smith evidence at Covid Inquiry

Responding to the evidence presented to the UK Covid Inquiry this morning, which heard that Scotland’s Chief Medical Officer, Professor Gregor Smith, told colleagues to delete WhatsApp messages “at the end of every day” during the pandemic, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said:  

“While families grieved, the Scottish Government destroyed evidence of what was going on behind the scenes and behind the decisions which gripped all of our lives.

“It's disturbing to see some of Nicola Sturgeon’s closest advisers and officials joking about transparency and how to dodge it in the remnants of WhatsApp groups. From the First Minister downwards, there was a pattern of people covering their own backs and limiting what would be available to the inquiries everyone knew would follow.

“At Nicola Sturgeon’s helm, bereaved families may forever be denied the understanding, the justice and the closure they deserve. There are major questions for her to answer, and I hope that she will agree to make a personal statement in Parliament to address them.”