SNP plotted how to maximise political advantage while thousands of Scots fought for their lives
By Bill Heaney
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has accused the SNP government of “a betrayal of the trust the people of Scotland put into them”.
Anas Sarwar said: “The most senior Ministers and officials knowingly deleted evidence to hide how they operated during the pandemic.
“They subverted the Covid inquiry and broke Freedom of Information laws and they plotted how to maximise their own political advantage, while thousands of Scots fought for their lives.
“It is a betrayal of the trust the people of Scotland put into this SNP Government.
“Nicola Sturgeon did not tell the truth to the public and Humza Yousaf seems to have misled this Parliament in an attempt to defend her and now the SNP Deputy Leader is supporting attacks on the inquiry.
“The answer to this betrayal of the Scottish people – a review into how the Scottish Government records information.
“In 2020, when we had the Salmond inquiry and there were accusations of a cover up. What did they do? Promise a review!
“In 2022, when we had investigations into the ferry scandal and there were accusations of a cover up, what did they do? Promise a review!
“And now we have the industrial scale deletion of evidence for the Covid inquiry and what is this First Minister’s answer? A review!
“They just don’t get it.
“Pamela Thomas, who lost her brother during the pandemic, said yesterday: ‘I don’t think they’re capable of actually telling the truth or being transparent.’
“The Covid inquiry is about learning the lessons so that this can never happen again but they have been obstructed by this Government with evidence supplied late, or not at all.
“The decisions they are investigating still weigh on people across this country:
“Why were Covid positive patients sent into care homes?
“Why was inadequate PPE being supplied to care workers and leaving people exposed?
“What impact did lockdowns have on our young people who missed out on years of education?
“Three years ago, in an election during the pandemic, many people in Scotland voted for his party because they thought Nicola Sturgeon did the best she could.
“They trusted her when she said this Parliament would be about Covid recovery. Now those same people have had their trust broken by this Government and they are appalled at the cover up.
“First Minister, isn’t it true: it’s not just messages that have disappeared, so has the trust in this SNP Government.”
Top picture: Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar who said there were still many questions to be answered including “Why was inadequate PPE being supplied to care workers and leaving people exposed?”