The row over the response by members of the Scottish Government and their advisers to the requests by the UK and Scottish Covid inquiries to hand over communications rumbles on, after claims that Nicola Sturgeon and the National Clinical Director Jason Leitch have deleted WhatsApp messages from the period in question.

On Saturday, one of our readers wrote that no one should be in any doubt that “the SNP-led Scottish Government operated furtively and in a clandestine fashion”, adding that Ms Sturgeon, Professor Leitch and former Health Secretary Jeane Freeman should not be allowed to avoid real scrutiny.

Read more: The SNP Covid cabal must not be allowed to escape scrutiny

Today, however, a correspondent leaps to the defence of Jason Leitch.


Ken Mackay of Glasgow writes:

"The inquiry is hardly a week gone and I see the SNP detractors are already baying for blood and finding guilt where none has been proved.

"I think we need to be very careful about what we say and who we say it about. Professor Jason Leitch was, in my view, open, honest and plain-speaking to the extent that he was often interviewed by the national news to give an ordered, calm and educated view.

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"There is nothing to suggest that when and if he appears at the inquiry he will not be just as frank with little obfuscation.

"Can we, maybe, hear what he has to say before throwing him under a bus?"

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