Nicola Sturgeon challenged over use of private SNP email for 'avoiding scrutiny' during covid pandemic

Nicola Sturgeon has been challenged to reveal the full extent of her use of a private SNP email address when speaking with government advisers during the coronavirus pandemic.Labour has today written to the country's top civil servant to ask what action will be taken over the "inappropriate" use of electronic communications for government business.

Jackie Baillie, the party's deputy leader, said: "Like millions of Scots I have watched the on-going UK Covid Inquiry with increasing concern. "Families deserve justice and answers – but it is clear that the secretive and improper actions of senior SNP politicians, advisers and civil servants are denying the people the answers they deserve."It comes after the UK Covid Inquiry heard yesterday how the then first minister told a top health expert in 2020 "don't worry about protocol" when sharing a covid briefing note.The text message exchange between Sturgeon and Professor Devi Sridhar saw the former SNP leader offer the use of both her SNP email address and official first minister account for correspondence.Private emails shared on her SNP address would not be subject to Freedom of Information requests.In an exchange in June 2020, Sridhar said she had prepared a note for the chief medical officer on “key steps to managing the outbreak in Scotland looking forward”.She added that she was “happy to share a draft” but was unaware if that would “overstep or break protocol”.Responding, Sturgeon said: “That would be helpful. (Don’t worry about protocol – tackling the virus more important than that and I’ll handle any issues on that front).”She went on to tell the academic to send the information to her “privately”, providing an SNP email address or “officially” using her Scottish