AN SNP minister in the Scottish Government has apologised after leaked WhatsApp messages revealed comments about colleagues which she conceded were “not acceptable”.
Elena Whitham, the Drugs Policy Minister, came under fire from Scottish Labour after she criticised colleagues, other MSPs, and the Queen’s Jubilee in messages shown to the Daily Record.
Whitham, who was born in Scotland but grew up in Quebec, said in one message sent at the start of a Holyrood session on the late monarch’s Jubilee: “Give me strength to get through this royalist b*llocks.”
The MSP for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley also sent messages criticising other MSPs, at one point writing of Tory Brian Whittle (above): “F*** me. Whittle is a p***k.”
Whitham also sent a message criticising Angus Robertson, the Culture Secretary, after he was handed the Cabinet role following the 2021 Holyrood election. “Angus in Cabinet [rolling eyes emoji] the ego has landed,” she wrote.
Also in 2021, Whitham suggested that Shona Robison, then the social justice secretary, could better present the work the SNP government was doing.
“Shona needing to find her stride here. She is struggling. It is a great statement and we are doing so much amazing work but she isn’t selling it as well as she could,” Whitham wrote, adding: “She is a bit of a cold fish.”
She said in later comments that she found Robison’s style to be like an “automaton” and “painful” to listen to.
Messages also showed Whitham questioned why the SNP had not acted over accusations against Patrick Grady, the MP for Glasgow North who was found to have behaved inappropriately towards a teenage member of staff at a party function in 2016.
After a leaked recording from the SNP Westminster group showed internal support for Grady, Whitham messaged: “Wtf. Who is recording group meetings?! And why are we supporting Grady?? Honestly.”
The leaks are reported to have come from a group chat.
Whitham told the Record she was sorry for sending the messages. "These comments were not acceptable and I apologise sincerely,” she said.
An SNP spokesperson told that paper: "We do not comment on leaked messages, however we remind all of our parliamentarians of the courtesy and respect they should show each other."
Scottish Labour jumped on the leaks claiming it was “clear for all to see that Ms Whitham does not hold the Deputy First Minister [Robison] in high regard and views Angus Robertson as an egotist”.
Jackie Baillie further said that the messages showed “the SNP is in disarray”.
Baillie appeared on BBC Radio Scotland on Tuesday morning defending Keir Starmer’s decision not to commit to scrapping the two-child cap on benefits – while also insisting that she was “completely opposed” to the policy.
The Scottish Labour group deputy leader claimed that UK Labour would look at removing the limit – despite Starmer saying that was not party policy on Sunday.
