Nicola Sturgeon swore angrily in a discussion about advice to postpone Christmas parties in the midst of the pandemic in 2021, the UK COVID-19 inquiry has been told.
Evidence presented to the hearing, currently investigating the Scottish government’s approach, showed a message exchange between National clinical director Professor Jason Leitch and Kate Forbes, who at the time was the Scottish finance secretary.
Amid rising cases of the Omicron strain of the virus, Dr Nick Phin, the director of public health at Public Health Scotland (PHS) urged people to “defer their Christmas parties to another time”.
In an opening message to Ms Forbes on December 10, Prof Leitch said: “What a mess. Honestly!!! No-one knew PHS were going to say this.”
He added he planned to agree with the advice in a radio interview he was due to give later, urging people to “consider postponing parties”, but said he would stress they were not talking about “dinners or having family round”.
Responding, Ms Forbes said: “Grrr at PHS.”
Prof Leitch then said: “FM (Sturgeon) and I spoke at 11. There was swearing. From both of us.”
Ms Forbes replied: “I might have contributed if I’d been on the call.”
Speaking at one of the regular coronavirus briefings at the time, Ms Sturgeon said she agreed with the advice, describing Christmas parties as “super-spreaders” of the new variant.
Omicron would go on to increase “exponentially” in the days after the messages were sent, leading Ms Sturgeon to urge Scots to limit Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day gatherings to just three households to slow the spread.
A spokeswoman for Public Health Scotland said: “The UK Covid-19 public inquiry is a legal process and it is not appropriate for PHS to comment on any evidence or witness statements given as part of proceedings.
“PHS is actively assisting the inquiry and will continue to support.”
Ms Forbes and the Scottish government have been contacted for comment.
Scotland’s First Minister Humza Yousaf is due to give evidence to the inquiry today amid ongoing scrutiny over messages exchanged by ministers and officials during the pandemic.
Ms Sturgeon’s use of private party emails is also likely to be examined as her former chief of staff Liz Lloyd gives evidence.
A spokesperson for Mr Yousaf issued a statement earlier this week explaining his actions as former health secretary after the inquiry was shown a WhatsApp exchange he had with Scotland’s national clinical director Professor Jason Leitch in November 2021.
In the exchange, Mr Yousaf asked Prof Leitch about the rules around the wearing of masks ahead of an event he was attending.
At the time, Covid rules in Scotland meant people would not have to wear a mask if they were sitting down to eat or drink, but would if they were moving around a bar or restaurant while not drinking.
Prof Leitch told Mr Yousaf to “have a drink in your hands at ALL times” then he would be “exempt” from wearing a mask, but he denied to the inquiry he had given Mr Yousaf a way to “get out” of obeying the mask rules.
