Covid Inquiry: Tearful Former Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon ‘Overwhelmed’ During Pandemic
Nicola Sturgeon, former Scottish First Minister, tearfully admitted that she felt “overwhelmed” and sometimes wished she hadn’t been in charge during the pandemic.
Speaking at the sitting in Edinburgh of the UK Covid-19 Inquiry, Sturgeon recounted the responsibility and stress she faced.
Asked whether she was the “right” person for the job, she responded: “That’s not how I would have thought of it at all.
She continued, growing tearful: “I was the first minister when the pandemic struck. There’s a large part of me wishes that I hadn’t been, but I was, and I wanted to be the best first minister I could be during that period. It’s for others to judge the extent to which I succeeded.”
Asked whether she saw a “political opportunity” in the fact that she had experience managing a similar situation, from her time working during the swine flu pandemic, and former Prime Minister Boris Johnson did not.
“I don’t remember thinking that in the moment,” she replied. “I’ve made the political comment about Boris Johnson generally. In those early days of the pandemic my view was, and my experience was, that we were all trying our best in almost impossible circumstances.”
The session also delved into the Scottish Government’s initial reactions to the Covid-19 threat, with Sturgeon highlighting their early awareness and subsequent discussions in cabinet meetings.
The inquiry also examined Sturgeon’s communication practices during the pandemic. She emphasised the formal nature of decision-making in the Scottish Government, asserting that she rarely used informal messaging for substantial discussions or decisions.
Despite this, WhatsApp messages between Sturgeon and her former chief of staff, Liz Lloyd, were scrutinised, revealing he Scottish leader’s moments of doubt and decision-making crises.
The former first minister also addressed her communications with Professor Devi Sridhar, explaining the use of her SNP email address, and commented on Johnson, whom she had disparagingly referred to in messages to Lloyd.
