Euan McColm: The Absurd Claim That Sturgeon Had All the Covid Answers – Revealed

Click this link to go to the Scotland homepage for the most recent updates and sports information. The myth that Nicola Sturgeondemonstrated...

• Click this link to go to the Scotland homepage for the most recent updates and sports information.

The myth that Nicola Sturgeondemonstrated exceptionally wise and caring leadership throughout thecoronavirusThe pandemic ended at 4 pm yesterday.

A report from the UK Covid-19 Inquiry — led by Baroness Heather Hallett — breaks through nationalist rhetoric and presents a severe judgment on the former First Minister's conduct during the health emergency, which started in 2020.

It presents a bleak image of a leader—unwilling to collaborate with opponents and fellow officials, all for the sake of public safety—who is leading a government that lacks a strategy.

As First Minister, Ms Sturgeon was commended by her supporters for her ability to communicate; the daily briefings she conducted from the Scottish Government's headquarters served as proof that she, unlike the then UK Prime Minister, had a different approach.Boris Johnsonwas completely in charge of a very challenging situation.

This entirely inaccurate account of the situation spread rapidly, with politicians and analysts from across the border embracing the absurd notion that Scotland's then-leader had all the solutions.

Now, we are aware of the facts.

The Baroness Hallett stated yesterday that the SNP administration did not adequately prepare for the pandemic and showed no sense of urgency in its response, despite the global loss of lives.

A significant portion of the criticism directed at Ms Sturgeon is unlikely to come as a surprise to those familiar with her professional journey. According to the inquiry's chairwoman, decision-making in Scotland was overly centralized and concentrated among a small group of ministers, with senior cabinet members being overlooked.

Concerningly, Baroness Hallett states that 'political hostility' between Ms Sturgeon and Mr Johnson led to unnecessary conflicts between the Scottish and UK Governments, resulting in a loss of trust at a moment when cooperation was crucial for survival.

Certainly, there has been criticism regarding the former First Minister's use of WhatsApp messages—numerous ones having been deleted—to correspond with colleagues.

According to the report, this made documentation more challenging and less trustworthy.

Supporters of Ms. Sturgeon — part of an increasingly small group of individuals — hold the belief that their former leader demonstrated greater concentration and determination in her leadership compared to Mr. Johnson during the pandemic, yet the Inquiry's report presents a contrasting account.

By the middle of February 2020, according to Baroness Hallett, all four governments across the UK were aware of the growing threat, which should have prompted them to take action. However, they did not manage to address the situation effectively.

In the initial stages of the crisis, the Scottish approach was limited to observing the developments. The outcomes of this lack of action were, as those who lost family members to the virus during its early spread can attest, extremely severe.

Also criticized — correctly — is the Scottish Government's choice to adopt a zero-covid approach. The notion that Scotland could eliminate the virus while it spread throughout the UK was always set to fail.

Ms. Sturgeon's reaction to the criticism is, as expected, defensive. According to the former FM, all her ministers and officials were fully involved in the decision-making process.

In a statement released by the SNP on her behalf, she stated: 'I chose from the beginning to take charge and make it clear that responsibility rested with me. I still stand by that.'

During the daily briefings, Ms Sturgeon mentions that they "focused on delivering transparent, caring, and understanding leadership during a highly uncertain and alarming time."

Even now, she says, she receives feedback on an "almost daily basis" from members of the public about how crucial these briefings were—both practically and emotionally—in assisting them through this time.

Maybe that is true, but the inquiry report contains no evidence to indicate that the former First Minister's publicity-focused strategy during the crisis improved public safety. In fact, critical decisions made by Ms. Sturgeon's government resulted in severe outcomes.

As the virus spread, taking the lives of the elderly and those who were sick, older individuals were placed in care homes without undergoing testing. This action, by itself, resulted in over 4,000 fatalities.

The deputy leader of Scottish Labour, Dame Jackie Baillie, is entirely right in stating that the inquiry's report highlights the key part John Swinney had in the SNP government's handling of the pandemic.

"It was," remarked Dame Jackie, disappointing that the First Minister did not attend Parliament to deliver a statement and answer questions regarding the report personally.

John Swinney played a central role in the decision-making process that resulted in elderly individuals being placed in care homes without testing and while infected with Covid, causing a tragic total of 4,000 deaths in care homes.

John Swinney, the Education Secretary, reduced the results of children from working-class backgrounds according to their location, and obstructed the pursuit of truth by removing his WhatsApp messages.

The leader of the Scottish government must offer a genuine apology to the people of Scotland for the choices he made during this period.

I certainly wouldn't wait for that, or even the smallest sign of remorse from Nicola Sturgeon.

Read more

• Was Nicola Sturgeon portrayed as a 'fraud not a hero' throughout the pandemic, hiding inefficiency through political rhetoric?
• What caused criticism towards Nicola Sturgeon's administration for removing important messages throughout the Covid-19 crisis?
• What caused public anger and resulted in Nicola Sturgeon's political collapse?
• What led to the decline of Nicola Sturgeon's leadership as numerous scandals and police investigations into SNP financial matters emerged?
• Will history be unforgiving toward Nicola Sturgeon for her involvement in the Alex Salmond controversy, as angry supporters claim she is altering the past?