Humza Yousaf called Labour MSP an 'a---hole'
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Humza Yousaf called a Labour MSP an “a—hole”, WhatsApp messages reveal.
Mr Yousaf told the National Clinical Director of the Scottish Government he wanted to check the answer to a question relating to the Omicron variant.
In a message to Professor Leitch, he wrote: “I thought I’d triple check seeing as it’s Neil Findlay and he is an a—hole”.
The exchange suggested Mr Findlay was a contact of an Omicron case and Mr Yousaf wanted to clarify the isolation rules.
Mr Yousaf then noted the changes did not affect him, adding: “I just wanted to triple check as he is a tw-t”.
Earlier today it was revealed that Nicola Sturgeon called Boris Johnson a “f---ing clown” in a foul-mouthed rant about the Prime Minister, WhatsApp messages have revealed.
The exchange was revealed in messages between the former first minister and her then chief of staff shown to the Covid Inquiry.
Liz Lloyd and Ms Sturgeon can be seen attacking the UK Government’s handling of announcing a second lockdown on October 31, 2020.
“Their comms are beyond awful,” Ms Sturgeon said during the announcement. “We’re not perfect but we don’t get nearly enough credit for how much better than them we are. This is f---ing excruciating - their comms are awful.
“His utter incompetence in every sense is now offending me on behalf of politicians everywhere.
“He is a f---ing clown.”
04:51 PM GMT
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04:50 PM GMT
Top civil servant complained about Sturgeon's solo decision making
A top civil servant complained about Nicola Sturgeon’s solo decision making during the pandemic, the inquiry heard.
Humza Yousaf said a WhatsApp message from the national clinical director was an example of Jason Leitch “over speaking” after he suggested Ms Sturgeon “actually wanted none of us” in relation to decision making.
The exchange between Mr Yousaf and Mr Leitch on May 20 2021, showed Mr Leitch writing: “There was some First Minister ‘keep it small’ shenanigans as always. She actually wants none of us.”
When asked if this was indicative of Ms Sturgeon’s lone decision making, the First Minister said: “I think this is a classic example of Jason Leitch perhaps over speaking.”
04:22 PM GMT
Yousaf feared 'intense scrutiny' if cases surged after Euros
Mr Yousaf said that there would be “pretty intense scrutiny” if cases surged following the Euros football tournament.
In a message to Professor Leitch, he wrote: “All that said, we will lose the dressing room. People want to watch the match with friends and family, after waiting 23 years for Scotland to qualify”.
They discussed that Ms Sturgeon needed to make a decision before or at First Minister’s Questions, before Mr Yousaf added: “I’ll tell you what, from knowing her 15 years, it is not often her instincts were wrong”.
04:18 PM GMT
Sturgeon worried about 'losing the dressing room'
Nicola Sturgeon worried about “losing the dressing room” over potentially closing a fanzone in Glasgow for the Euros football.
In a message to Professor Leitch, Mr Yousaf wrote: “Understand FM’s worry about losing the dressing room, but can’t do anything other than leave Glasgow in Level 3 for now.”
04:09 PM GMT
Pictured: Humza Yousaf giving evidence at Covid Inquiry
04:03 PM GMT
'Perfect storm' overwhelmed NHS
Mr Yousaf said there was a “perfect storm” of factors which led to Scottish hospitals being overwhelmed in the pandemic.
As health secretary Mr Yousaf dealt with the Omicron variant during the third wave of Covid.
He said the highly transmissible variant, opening up of society and other respiratory viruses had placed extreme pressure on the NHS.
03:41 PM GMT
Yousaf called Scottish Police Federation a 'disgrace'
Mr Yousaf branded the Scottish Police Federation a “disgrace”, according to Whatsapp messages.
The Inquiry was shown messages between Mr Yousaf and John Swinney, then Deputy First Minister, on June 19, 2020.
Mr Swinney said: “I have just caught up with the latest insight into SPF! thinking”.
Mr Yousaf replied: “They’re a disgrace. Right through this pandemic they have shown arrogance and retrograde thinking. Chief was livid last night”.
03:20 PM GMT
Inquiry resumes
Questioning of Humza Yousaf at the inquiry has resumed after a short break.
03:01 PM GMT
Inquiry takes break
The Covid Inquiry is taking a brief break and will restart at 3.10pm.
02:56 PM GMT
Humza Yousaf accused of being Sturgeon “cheerleader”
Humza Yousaf has been accused of being a “cheerleader” for Nicola Sturgeon by the lead lawyer of Scottish Covid Bereaved.
Liz Lloyd and Boris Johnson were also lambasted by Aamer Anwar for not disclosing messages and presiding over a dysfunctional Downing Street respectively.
Mr Anwar called for the First Minister to “stop drip feeding evidence” and “hand over private communications” to the inquiry.
The lead solicitor for Scottish Covid Bereaved said: “The First Minister Humza Yousaf needs to stop acting like a cheerleader for his former boss Nicola Sturgeon. He needs to take control, stop drip feeding evidence to the public inquiry and handover all the private emails that Ministers used to bypass scrutiny during the pandemic.
“Mr Yousaf must provide details on why he could retain his WhatsApps, whilst his former boss Ms Sturgeon was deleting them on an industrial scale along with Mr Swinney and Mr Leitch.
He added: “We know now from the evidence today despite claims to the contrary, Liz Lloyd, chief of staff to Nicola Sturgeon can provide no WhatsApps between her and Nicola Sturgeon prior to September 1st 2020- meaning that during the critical period of the pandemic for the first 10 months of 2020, the WhatsApps no longer exist- how very convenient for Ms Sturgeon’s and Ms Llyod.
“The bereaved find it unbelievable there is no explanation from Liz Lloyd as to why during the critical period of the pandemic those WhatsApps do not exist, or why they were disappeared.
“In December, the Scottish Covid Bereaved watched the evidence of Boris Johnson who as PM presided over a disgusting orgy of narcissism’ at a dysfunctional Number 10.
“For the Covid bereaved, Johnson’s claim that he saved thousands of lives was a grotesque distortion of the truth.”
02:28 PM GMT
Yousaf apologises 'unreservedly' for pandemic response
Humza Yousaf has issued a grovelling apology to the UK Covid inquiry and bereaved relatives for the mass deletion of WhatsApp messages showing how the Scottish Government dealt with the pandemic.
The First Minister apologised “unreservedly” for the “corporate mindset” of the Scottish Government that the messages were not required. Mr Yousaf said: “There is no excuse for it. We should have done better.”
He said there was “clearly a gap that exists on how material in informal communications should be retained,” and reiterated that he has ordered an externally led review.
02:17 PM GMT
Yousaf promised to join 'deep dive' examaning rising cases
The inquiry is shown an email exchange between Mr Yousaf and Prof Jason Leitch, Scotland’s national clinical director, on his first day as Scottish Health Secretary on May 20, 2021.
Mr Yousaf promised to join a “deep dive” examining rising cases in East Renfrewshire and Prof Leitch replied: “Good. There was some FM ‘keep it small’ shenanigans as always. She actually wants none of us.”
02:12 PM GMT
Gold Command meetings not minuted
Mr Yousaf was asked about Gold Command meetings which were not minuted and said it was not the “usual protocol”.
He was asked: “My understanding was that Gold Command meetings should have been minuted, but 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.”
01:59 PM GMT
Sturgeon made decisions alone
Humza Yousaf told the Covid Inquiry that decisions were made solely by Nicola Sturgeon without them being “cascaded” to her Cabinet.
He argued this was necessary because of the fast pace at which decisions had to be made.
01:50 PM GMT
Humza Yousaf is being sworn in at the Covid Inquiry
Humza Yousaf is being sworn in at the Covid Inquiry.
Baroness Hallett, addressing the First Minister, said: “I appreciate the demands on your time, I have instructions to finish by 4.30pm at the latest.”
01:47 PM GMT
Covid Inquiry expected to resume any minute
The Covid Inquiry is expected to restart presently. The afternoon session of the hearing has been delayed because Humza Yousaf was attending First Minister’s Questions in Holyrood.
01:44 PM GMT
Johnson called “f---ing clown” by Sturgeon
Earlier today it was revealed that Nicola Sturgeon called Boris Johnson a “f---ing clown” in a foul-mouthed rant about the Prime Minister, WhatsApp messages have revealed.
The exchange was revealed in messages between the former first minister and her then chief of staff shown to the Covid Inquiry.
Liz Lloyd and Ms Sturgeon can be seen attacking the UK Government’s handling of announcing a second lockdown on October 31, 2020.
“Their comms are beyond awful,” Ms Sturgeon said during the announcement. “We’re not perfect but we don’t get nearly enough credit for how much better than them we are. This is f---ing excruciating - their comms are awful.
“His utter incompetence in every sense is now offending me on behalf of politicians everywhere.
“He is a f---ing clown.”
12:27 PM GMT
Lloyd questioned over politicising of pandemic
Before the lunch break Baroness Hallett intervened to challenge Ms Lloyd over whether the pandemic was deliberately politicised by the SNP to boost support for independence.
She brought up papers from the cabinet meeting of June 2020, in which it was agreed that consideration would be given to “restarting work on independence and a referendum”.
The entry added that the case for separation should be updated “with the arguments reflecting the experience of the coronavirus crisis and developments on EU exit.”
Baroness Hallett said that “some people might argue” that it looked as if the SNP cabinet were plotting to use the pandemic “politically” for “advancing independence.”
She added: “It does look a bit as if this is politicisation of the coronavirus pandemic”.
Ms Lloyd said the word “consideration” was significant and that an independence campaign had not then been launched.
She added: “I have no recollection, no notes, no work [on independence]... if anything had been done in this period it would be publicly available.
“There would be reams of evidence of the Scottish Government going out and selling independence during this period, and there just isn’t.”
12:22 PM GMT
Inquiry breaks for lunch
The Covid Inquiry is taking a break for lunch and is due to restart at 1.45pm. The First Minister of Scotland, Humza Yousaf, is to be questioned this afternoon.
12:16 PM GMT
Lloyd regrets not being able to show inquiry WhatsApp messages
Ms Lloyd said she regrets not being able to disclose WhatsApp messages to the inquiry.
When questioned over deleted exchanges between herself and Ms Sturgeon before September 1, 2020, she said: “I regret not being able to give those messages to the inquiry.”
Ms Lloyd claimed she had “done everything” possible to find the messages despite having no success.
12:09 PM GMT
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12:07 PM GMT
No messages between Sturgeon and Lloyd before September 2020
Ms Lloyd has been unable to find messages between her and Ms Sturgeon before September 2020.
Asked if it was fair to assume she was in communication with the former First Minister before then she said: “Yes, it would be, I think at a lesser extent and for the record I would like to say that I regret not being able to give the Inquiry those messages. I thought I had them, I sourced them...I thought I had retained them and they’re not there”.
Asked what happened to the messages, she said she could not say.
“As I’ve said I genuinely don’t know and I regret that I thought I had them. I’m not the best administrator of devices. I wish I did have them and I can;t say what happened to them, they;re not there. I can;t say whether I actively deleted them and, I can’t say whether they got lost, I don’t know.”
12:04 PM GMT
Lloyd questioned over 'delete before bedtime' ritual
Ms Lloyd was asked by Baroness Heather Hallett, the Inquiry chair, if she was aware of a “policy that others are talking about where the claim the policy was to delete, a bedtime ritual”.
Ms Lloyd said “a lot of things in government would pass through my Inbox but I have no recollection of specifically reading that policy at any point in time.”
The Inquiry has previously heard that Jason Leitch, the National Clinical Director of the Scottish Government, had said during the pandemic that “WhatsApp deletion is a pre-bed ritual”.
11:59 AM GMT
Lloyd questioned over first Covid death in Scotland
Junior counsel to the inquiry questioned Ms Lloyd on the first Covid death in Scotland which was announced on March 13, 2020.
The French man had travelled to Edinburgh for an international rugby match, and Lloyd was asked why details of the death were not publicised.
She said the Scottish government was told not to share the man’s nationality ot that he had attended a sports fixture.
Usman Tariq asked if the Scottish government had been uncomfortable with questions about allowing the rugby match to go ahead.
Ms Lloyd said it may have been but this was not the reason his nationality was not released.
She added it would be “inaccurate” to say the Scottish government had tried to cover up the man’s nationality and that he had been at the rugby.
11:53 AM GMT
Lloyd questioned over deleted WhatsApp messages
Ms Lloyd was asked why she had kept her WhatsApp messages but Nicola Sturgeon had not.
She said: “I can’t speak for her, I’m not going to speculate on the reasons here with the one exception of saying that in this conversation between us I am the official, she can answer if this is the case, she may have had reason to think, well, Liz has them, that’s the official part taken care of because I am the official in that exchange”.
11:41 AM GMT
Former chief of staff to Nicola Sturgeon giving evidence to the UK Covid-19 Inquiry
11:36 AM GMT
And we're back
The UK Covid Inquiry has resumed after a brief break.
11:21 AM GMT
Inquiry takes break
The inquiry has taken a brief break and is due to resume at 11.30am.
11:13 AM GMT
Sturgeon 'reluctantly' accepted UK Christmas restrictions had merit
Nicola Sturgeon “reluctantly” accepted there was merit in a UK wide position in Christmas restrictions in 2020.
Ms Lloyd told her that she was “increasingly leaning” to only allowing two households to mix after seeing a poll. On November 20, 2020, she added: “But I am a grinch about Christmas”.
Ms Sturgeon replied that she was too, but that “on this I (reluctantly) think there’s merit in a uk wide position.”
Mr Tariq said that this suggested Ms Sturgeon was not enthusiastic about a four-nations approach, and that her “default position” was “to be different from the UK Government.”
Ms Lloyd replied that the default position was for Scotland to take decisions that reflected their own circumstances.
11:09 AM GMT
Lloyd wanted 'good old fashioned rammy'
WhatsApp messages from Ms Lloyd said she wanted a “good old fashioned rammy” with the UK government.
In a message to Ms Sturgeon on November 1st, 2020, she wrote: “My reason for setting a timeline for them to answer us on furlough is purely political - especially as we expect the answer to be no, it looks awful for them, and creating that kind of pressure could possibly result in a yes (though agree we shouldn’t bank on it). Think I just want a good old fashioned rammy so can think about something other than sick people”
Ms Sturgeon then replied: “Yeah I get it. And it might be worth doing. I’ve sent a rough formulation of what I might say tomorrow - I could for it in there”
10:58 AM GMT
Sturgeon tried to 'force' UK to change approach
Nicola Sturgeon’s top advisor wanted the Scottish Government to call for policies it did not have the power to introduce to “force” the UK to change its approach.
A handwritten extract from Ms Lloyd’s notebook showed that she wrote: “Political tactics - calling for things we can’t do to force UK”.
Asked about this she said that if the Scottish government were to introduce restrictions like a circuit breaker they would need funding from the Treasury.
10:57 AM GMT
Scottish ministers considered restarting work on independence
Ms Lloyd is being quizzed about a cabinet meeting from June 2020 in which SNP ministers decided to consider “restarting work on independence and a referendum”.
She said that she had been involved in strategising for independence since 2012.
Ms Lloyd claimed her own notes indicated there had been no “substantive discussion” about independence, despite this being an agreed action from the cabinet minutes.
The entry has already proved controversial, as that day Nicola Sturgeon angrily denied that she was focusing on the constitution.
Ms Lloyd claimed that when the pandemic struck “one of the first steps we did was suspend work on independence and the referendum.”
She added: “The team that worked on it was disbanded and sent to work on COVID related activities.”
10:57 AM GMT
No serious discussions about Scottish independence in Cabinet meetings
Ms Lloyd has denied that at a Cabinet meeting on June 30, 2020, there was serious discussion on Scottish independence.
Shown a cabinet paper with a conclusion which stated ministers “agreed that consideration be given to restarting work on independence and a referendum”.
Asked about this Ms Lloyd said that “the fact that something is in the cabinet conclusion does not necessarily mean there was an active discussion on that particular issue”.
She said if there had been “a discussion on independence and the constitution it would have been in my notes.”
“It is not. So my recollection and what that tells me is that there was no substantive discussion on issues around independence and a referendum at this meeting, there was a discussion around EU exit and this has been included in the paper”
10:56 AM GMT
England was lifting restrictions too fast
As the UK government began lifting restrictions after the third lockdown, Ms Lloyd and Ms Sturgeon appeared to believe England was going too fast.
On March 15th, 2021, Ms Sturgeon said she had received an “alarmist text” about vaccine supply.
“Jeane just sent me an alarmist text about vaccine supply - suggesting mid April might be in doubt,” she wrote.
Ms Lloyd replied: “I don’t buy it - england powering ahead with no hint of an issue”.
Ms Sturgeon added: “Indeed, but here’s what she sent”
10:42 AM GMT
Deleted WhatsApp's shown to inquiry
WhatsApps being shown to the inquiry had been deleted by Ms Sturgeon but kept by Ms Lloyd, the inquiry has heard.
In a discussion about weddings, the pair talked about whether to follow the UK Government by reducing numbers permitted.
Usman Tariq, junior counsel to the inquiry, asked Ms Lloyd how the public and the inquiry would have been able to understand the decision, had the messages not been kept by her.
Ms Lloyd acknowledged that there may not have been the “insight into if you like the moment” of the decision had the WhatsApps been wiped.
Mr Tariq said he will explore how Ms Lloyd came to provide the messages later in the session.
10:40 AM GMT
UK government decisions called 'quite extraordinary'
The inquiry was shown messages between Ms Sturgeon and Ms Lloyd where the former first minister described UK government decisions on a change to regulations as “quite quite extraordinary”.
“I really don’t get the delaying to Tuesday bit”, she wrote, sharing a link about increased restrictions in Birmingham.
WhatsApps showed Ms Sturgeon seeking Ms Lloyd’s advice on what rules to implement in Scotland.
“We haven’t thought about weddings,” Ms Sturgeon wrote. “They are reducing but not sure what to”
Ms Lloyd replied “I think as we only just put them up just leave it.” adding: “They aren’t reducing churches etc as far as I know and I think - though will check - that they were higher than us”.
She then suggested the Scottish government stick with a limit of 20 people at funerals.
10:38 AM GMT
Lloyd attended key Covid meetings
Liz Lloyd said she attended Cobra and cabinet meetings as well as Scottish government resilience committee meetings during Covid.
As a member of Scotland’s “core team”, Ms Lloyd said she was also on calls between the leaders of the UK’s four nations during discussions about the pandemic.
10:29 AM GMT
Lloyd one of Sturgeon's 'closest confidantes'
Ms Lloyd told the UK Covid-19 Inquiry she was one of the former first minister’s closest confidantes.
Junior counsel to the inquiry Usman Tariq asked Ms Lloyd if she and Ms Sturgeon had a “particularly close” relationship.
Ms Lloyd said: “Certainly, yes.”
Mr Tariq asked: “Is it fair to say you were one of her closest confidantes?”
Ms Lloyd answered: “Yes, I would say so.”
10:22 AM GMT
Liz Lloyd was Sturgeon's 'thought partner'
Liz Lloyd has described herself as Nicola Sturgeon’s “thought partner”.
She admitted she became particularly close to the former first minister, after becoming her chief of staff in 2015.
Ms Lloyd was a highly influential figure in the SNP government. The inquiry has already heard that she and Ms Sturgeon alone would decide who would appear with the first minister at her daily briefing.
Asked what she meant by “thought partner”, Ms Lloyd said: “Sometimes ministers need a place or a person where they can essentially think out loud without that being taken as their definitive view.
“So my role and the role of other special advisers frequently is to engage with them to help them stress test ideas, to talk out loud what might the consequences of a particular route of action might be.”
10:20 AM GMT
Sturgeon full day of questioning next week
Nicola Sturgeon will be questioned for a full day next week at the Covid Inquiry.
The former First Minister will appear next Wednesday while John Swinney, her former deputy, and Kate Forbes, the former finance secretary will appear on Tuesday.
Michael Gove, the former Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and current Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, will appear on Monday followed by Jeane Freeman, the Scottish Government’s Former Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport.
10:16 AM GMT
Liz Lloyd being questioned
Liz Lloyd is now being questioned by the inquiry counsel.
10:14 AM GMT
Former chief of staff to Nicola Sturgeon arriving at the UK Covid-19 Inquiry
10:12 AM GMT
Sturgeon’s swearing fit over ‘cancel Christmas parties’ advice is revealed in WhatsApp messages
Nicola Sturgeon was furious at public health officials for advising Scots to cancel work Christmas parties when the Omicron variant struck, Covid messages show.
The then first minister was so angry at Public Health Scotland (PHS) for issuing guidance without her knowledge in December 2021 that “there was swearing” during a conversation with Jason Leitch, Scotland’s national clinical director.
Read the full story here.
10:11 AM GMT
Nicola Sturgeon was more cautious on Covid lockdowns ‘just to be different’ to England
Nicola Sturgeon’s government pursued a more cautious pandemic strategy as it was important to them to be different to England, a top scientist has told the Covid inquiry.
Read the full story here.
10:09 AM GMT
Welcome to the Telegraph's live coverage
Good morning and welcome to The Telegraph’s live coverage of the UK Covid Inquiry.
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