Nicola Sturgeon 'running out of excuses' after recording 'zero' WhatsApp messages on covid

Nicola Sturgeon has been urged to explain why "zero" of her WhatsApp messages sent during the coronavirus pandemic were transcribed to the official record.A Freedom of Information request asked the Scottish Government how many text messages sent or received by the then first minister from January 1 2020 onwards were transferred to its electronic records and document management (eRDM) system.But in a response published yesterday, a civil servant revealed: "Under our duty to advise and assist, I can confirm the answer is zero."Sturgeon led the Scottish Government response to the global health crisis from 2020-2022 but now faces accusations of covering-up how key decisions on lockdown were reached.The MSP has insisted that decisions were not taken on "informal" communication channels like text messaging.But that position was repeatedly questioned by evidence heard at the on-going UK Covid Inquiry.Sturgeon and other senior SNP ministers have faced a storm of criticism after they admitted deleting all of their WhatsApp conversations from during the pandemic - despite pledging to hand over all relevant information to the inquiry to assist its work.The former first minister initially said she had not "retained" the messages before admitting under questioning that she had deleted her messages.Sturgeon told the inquiry that "anything of any relevance or substance from any of that material would be properly recorded in the Scottish Government system".But opposition parties said that argument was now undermined by the the revelation "zero" messages were recorded.The Lib Dems have called on Sturgeon to give a statement to the Scottish Parliament to explain why none were kept.Jackie Baillie, Scottish Labour deputy leader, said: "The