LibDem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton, Katie Forbes MSP and Humza Yousaf.
By Bill Heaney
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said Nicola Sturgeon’s testimony at the covid inquiry yesterday was “striking” — but it was short on answers to questions the public needed to know.
He said: “About a personal phone on which she retained WhatsApp messages for the Salmond Inquiry, but deleted them for every aspect of the pandemic, forever denying the bereaved families an insight into the mind of the person who held all of the power.
“About hospitality rules seemingly made up at random, sending some businesses to the wall. Unanswered questions about care homes, about school closures.
“And a secret central committee, in charge it seems of everything, about which the Finance Secretary knew nothing and of which there are no minutes. A government within a government.
“Humza Yousaf saw all of this and yet, did nothing.
“So why is he now standing in the way of a ministerial code investigation into Gold Command record keeping – something only he can instruct?
“And does he agree that Nicola Sturgeon now has a duty to come back to this chamber and once more finally explain herself?”
During their evidence to the UK Covid Inquiry this week, former Finance Secretary Kate Forbes, First Minister Humza Yousaf and former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon all indicated that Gold Command meetings should have been minuted.
Kate Forbes said of Gold Command meetings: “I think that every meeting of that nature in the Scottish Government should be minuted and I’m surprised to hear that they weren’t.”
Humza Yousaf said that: “My understanding was that Gold Command meetings should have been minuted. If that was not the case, then that would not have been the usual protocol for government meetings. They should be minuted, and of course be available should there be the appropriate request.”
Nicola Sturgeon admitted the record keeping is unclear: “There is undoubtedly a learning point for Government here … to make sure that there is a clearer record of these discursive, non-decision making meetings that are discursive and there for the purpose of shaping the decisions that have to be taken by cabinet, so yes I would accept that to somebody outside the process it would be helpful if that was clearer.”
- West Dunbartonshire Council appears to be well-drilled in the SNP’s anti-democratic tactics and refuses to answer even the simplest questions from The Dumbarton Democrat about decisions they make.
Top picture: Nicola Sturgeon and her local SNP colleagues Martin Docherty Hughes and Brendan O’Hara.