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Watch: Nicola Sturgeon faces questions at UK Covid inquiry

Oliver Browning
Wednesday 31 January 2024 11:46 EST
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Watch as Nicola Sturgeon faced questions in the UK Covid inquiry on Wednesday 31 January.

The former first minister gave evidence for a full day as the inquiry, before Baroness Heather Hallett, held hearings in Edinburgh.

Several figures in Ms Sturgeon’s government have already faced questions about their deletion of WhatsApp messages during the pandemic.

Ms Sturgeon has conceded that messages had not been retained on her own devices but said she has managed to retrieve copies to submit to the probe.

She has said informal messages were handed over to the inquiry last year.

Scottish government ministers and officials have said decisions were routinely recorded on the official system even if messages were deleted in line with policy.

In one message already seen by the inquiry, as former chief of staff Liz Lloyd gave evidence, Ms Sturgeon referred to then prime minister Boris Johnson as a “f****** clown.”

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