PRESSURE is mounting on former Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon to face parliamentary scrutiny over deleted Covid-19 Whatsapp messages.

Last year, the UK Covid-19 inquiry was made aware that messages between Scottish ministers and senior civil servants appeared to have been deleted, despite the likelihood — understood at the time — that they would be required for a future public inquiry.

As its focus moves to Scotland in Module 2a of its proceedings, questions on transparency have reappeared after it emerged that the SNP’s then leader had not only failed to submit any notebooks for the inquiry’s consideration, but had no messages to share either.

Responding to the evidence through X, formerly Twitter, Ms Sturgeon wrote: “Contrary to the impression given in some coverage, the inquiry does have messages between me and those I most regularly communicated with through informal means.”

She added: “Although these had not been retained on my own device, I was able to obtain copies which I submitted to the inquiry last year.”

The statement has done little to calm the controversy. 

Scottish Liberal Democrat Leader Alex Cole-Hamilton has written to Ms Sturgeon demanding that she make a statement to, and face questions from, Parliament on the affair.

And Scottish Labour’s Dame Jackie Baillie branded the deletions as a “betrayal of the people of Scotland.”

“Nicola Sturgeon and all others who engaged in this deceitful and secretive practice should have the book thrown at them,” she said.

In a statement on behalf of the Scottish Covid Bereaved (SCB), their lawyer Aamer Anwar said: “Media reports have suggested that senior figures in pandemic decision-making — such as Nicola Sturgeon and [chief medical officer] Jason Leitch — have failed to retain messages. 

“We look forward to hearing how our politicians and civil servants attempt to justify this position in Scotland when they knew over two years ago inquiries would happen. 

“While witnesses in this module may point to opinion polling during the pandemic favourably contrasting the Scottish government’s communications with those of the UK government, positive poll numbers are no consolation to the bereaved. 

“The knowledge of what happened can never take away their grief, but it may save the lives of many in the next inevitable pandemic, that at the very least is the legacy they are entitled to expect.”