Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Politics
Libby Brooks Scotland correspondent

Nicola Sturgeon deleted all pandemic WhatsApps, Covid inquiry hears

Nicola Sturgeon WhatsApp Covid-19 Pandemic Scotland Aamer Anwar Jamie Dawson KC John Swinney
Nicola Sturgeon.
Sturgeon had previously refused to confirm or deny allegations that she deleted the messages but insisted she had ‘nothing to hide’. Photograph: Murdo MacLeod/The Guardian

Nicola Sturgeon has been accused of “a shocking betrayal of the people of Scotland” as it emerged that the former first minister, along with other senior ministers and health officials, deleted all their WhatsApp messages related to the Covid pandemic.

The UK Covid Inquiry, taking evidence in Scotland, heard on Friday that Sturgeon “retained no messages whatsoever” while the national clinical director, Jason Leith, joked in a group chat that WhatsApp deletion was his “pre-bed ritual”.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
That Cute Squishy Toy Contains Water Beads — CPSC Says Stop Using It
A colorful squishy toy that looks like an innocent stress reliever may hide something parents cannot see: expandable water beads. About 37,000 Squishy Dumpling and Crazy Squib Ball toys were recalled on October 1 after regulators determined that their water beads could expand beyond federal limits and create a potentially…
Kids Ain't Cheap
Kids Ain't Cheap
103-year-old World War II veteran still runs a basement bar in Maryland that would be illegal to open today
At 103, World War II veteran Irvin Koch is still behind the counter at Irv’s Basement Bar in Maryland, a watering hole he has run since 1963. But there is a surprising reason his unusual home-based bar has survived for more than six decades: modern zoning rules would make it…
The Economic Times
The Economic Times
Travis Barker hospitalised
Travis Barker has shared photos from hospital, where his wife, Kourtney Kardashian, and daughter, Alabama Barker, were by his side.
BANG Premier
BANG Premier
Man goes to Tim Hortons and sees some Harry Potter-themed donuts. Then he takes a closer look: ‘I was deeply concerned’
Those are definitely not going to the Hogwarts feast!
We Got This Covered
We Got This Covered
Ex-Dunkin’ worker says her paycheck was withheld. Then she airs alleged dirty laundry about drinks, creamers, and more: ‘When you’re not looking’
She allegedly was treated differently after getting a new job
We Got This Covered
We Got This Covered
Ultraprocessed Meal Raised Insulin More Than a Calorie-Matched Whole-Food Meal in Small Virginia Tech Brain Imaging Trial
Two 300-calorie meals with matching nutrients drew different insulin and metabolic responses in a small Virginia Tech trial. Here is what it means.
Medical Daily
Medical Daily
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.
Download on the AppStore Get it on Google Play