Nicola Sturgeon booed and called ‘scum’ as she leaves Covid inquiry after tearful apology to bereaved families
NICOLA Sturgeon was booed as she left the UK Covid Inquiry.
The former First Minister was quizzed on her Government’s handling of the pandemic in Scotland.
But when she left the Inquiry she was met by protesters who booed as she was ushered to a waiting vehicle.
One person could be heard shouting “scum” at Ms Sturgeon as she got into the waiting motor.
The ex-SNP boss became emotional as she gave her evidence today and even admitted she wished she hadn’t been in charge when Covid hit.
And in tear-filled testimony, she apologised to those who had lost people during the pandemic.
Jamie Dawson KC asked her: “The story of Covid in Scotland is the story of the hubris of Nicola Sturgeon, is it not?”
However, Ms Sturgeon denied that suggestion, as she once again teared up while giving evidence.
She responded: “No. I do not believe that to be the case. I am in the fortunate position of not having personally lost anyone to Covid.
“I wish with every fibre of my being that the decisions my government had been able to take could have reduced the number of people in Scotland who did lose someone to Covid and I am deeply sorry to each and every bereaved person, and each and every person who suffered in other ways.
“I did my best, my government did our best, and people will judge that. But I know that every day, I tried my best and those working with me tried our best to steer this country through the Covid pandemic in the best way we could.”
But Ms Sturgeon was accused of “crocodile tears” by Scotland’s Covid bereaved.
Pamela Thomas of the Scottish Covid Bereaved group lost her brother James Cameron.
Politicisation of the pandemic 'would be a betrayal of the Scottish people'
She said: “I don’t believe that conclusion would fairly be reached because that’s not what I did.
“If I had at any point decided to politicise a global pandemic that was robbing people of their lives and livelihood and education opportunities and had decided in the face of that to prioritise campaigning for independence then yes absolutely it would have been as you described, which is precisely why I didn’t do it and wouldn’t have done it.”
Ms Sturgeon was asked about an email sent in July 2020 which suggested the Spanish Government would decide whether a decision to retain quarantine measures for those arriving from the country could be seen as a political one.
The document warned: “There is a real possibility they will never approve EU membership for an independent Scotland as a result.”
But, Ms Sturgeon said: “These were decisions that were taken for public health reasons. They were difficult decisions, they were often very finely balanced decisions and if that concern had been the one driving the decisions, then presumably at great criticism not least from our own airport sector at the time, we wouldn’t have kept Spain off the travel corridors in the first place.”
She said: “I think too much of the inquiry time has been taken up with the deletion of the WhatsApp messages.
“I don’t think they are capable of telling the truth of being transparent like they are portraying they are.
“Her crocodile tears are not washing with me.
“If there are any tools available to my solicitor or the inquiry with regards to a criminal activity put in place then I would like them to use them all.”
