Email highlights plan to rejoin EU played KEY ROLE in Sturgeon’s Covid policy
Emails launched at the moment highlighted the SNP’s plans to rejoin the EU amid considerations over Covid restrictions.
An e mail confirmed the SNP was “extremely concerned” about journey restrictions remaining in the nation when there was a “point prevalence rate of 0.015”.
An e mail was copied to the primary minister and quite a few senior Scottish Government figures, despatched on July 19 from the e-mail handle of then deputy first minister John Swinney.
However, the e-mail, signed off by somebody named Scott, mentioned he was “extremely concerned” about journey restrictions remaining.
Scotland’s former first minister Nicola Sturgeon arrives on the UK Covid-19 Inquiry listening to
PA
The e mail learn: “There is seen motion from the Spanish authorities to do no matter it takes to suppress outbreaks (examine and distinction with outbreaks in England).
“It gained’t matter how a lot ministers would possibly justify it on well being grounds, the Spanish authorities will conclude it’s completely political; they gained’t neglect; there’s a actual risk they are going to by no means approve EU membership for an impartial Scotland in consequence.”
Former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon was requested in regards to the contents of this e mail on the Covid inquiry.
She mentioned in response: “These are selections that had been taken for public well being causes that had been troublesome selections.”
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
Nicola Sturgeon MSP and John Swinney MSP
PA
During at the moment’s listening to, she denied the SNP tried to politicise the Covid pandemic to additional the reason for Scottish independence.
A set of minutes from a cupboard assembly in June 2020 had been proven on the listening to.
The minutes confirmed that she and different members of the federal government “agreed that consideration ought to be given to restarting work on independence and a referendum, with the arguments reflecting the expertise of the coronavirus disaster and developments on EU exit.”
When requested the cupboard had agreed to search to promote the reason for Scottish independence by politicising the pandemic, Sturgeon mentioned: “I, respectfully, don’t assume that could be a honest or correct studying of that paragraph.”
The Covid Inquiry is ongoing
PA
Sturgeon mentioned it was extra necessary to her that “we did in Scotland what we thought was proper than aligning with selections we thought had been unsuitable”.
She mentioned: “I really feel to my core that the variety of lives misplaced to this pandemic had been far too excessive. We had been by no means going to have the opportunity to get by way of a pandemic with no lack of life.
“I believe it was far too excessive.
“I believe the opposite impacts had been far too excessive, and, you understand, each demise is a tragedy that I remorse, and that individuals in this room and out of doors throughout the nation reside with the grief and trauma of, so we didn’t do in addition to I want we had been ready to.”
