Summary

  • The UK Covid Inquiry has completed its three-week sitting in Edinburgh

  • In closing submissions Claire Mitchell KC, for the Scottish Covid Bereaved, says the Scottish government showed a "lack of urgency" at the start of the outbreak

  • She argues that there was a "culture of secrecy" and that the bereaved have been "robbed" of answers by the deletion of WhatsApp messages by ministers and advisers

  • Geoffrey Mitchell KC, for the Scottish government, acknowledges the "consternation" from the inquiry and the public, and says lessons must be learned

  • Earlier, Scottish Secretary Alister Jack said he deleted all his WhatsApp messages in 2021 to free up storage capacity on his phone

  • The UK government minister says he regrets doing so, but that he did not take government decisions by WhatsApp

  • He also says he does not believe the emotional evidence from Nicola Sturgeon, who said yesterday that she put aside her political convictions during the pandemic

  • Asked about those emotional exchanges with the former first minister, Jack says: "She could cry from one eye if she wanted to"

Live Reporting

Edited by Paul McLaren and Holly Wallis

  1. Today's evidence session gets under way

    Alister Jack is now being sworn in, as the final day of evidence in the Edinburgh leg of the Covid Inquiry begins.

    We'll bring you further updates as the session continues.

  2. Analysis

    What exactly was Alister Jack's role in Covid decision-making?

    Kirsten Campbell
    BBC Scotland political correspondent

    It's an age-old political question: Is the secretary of state for Scotland, Scotland's man in the cabinet, or the cabinet's man in Scotland?

    Certainly if the evidence given to the inquiry so far is anything to go by, Scottish ministers aren't quite sure what the point of Alister Jack is.

    First Minister Humza Yousaf told the inquiry he was curious why Jack was on certain calls because he didn't make any contribution,

    The former deputy first minister John Swinney thought he had "no tangible presence" and there would have been no value in engaging with him.

    It was the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Michael Gove, who took the lead on four-nations collaboration during the pandemic.

    And individual ministers say they dealt directly with their portfolio counterparts at UK level.

    So it will be interesting to learn more about the secretary of state for Scotland's role in Covid decision making.

  3. What to expect on this final day of hearings

    Scottish Secretary Alister JackGetty Images

    Scottish Secretary Alister Jack will give evidence this morning

    The UK Covid Inquiry will today conclude its hearings in Edinburgh, focusing on governance and decision-making during the pandemic.

    As we've reported, the inquiry has heard from key figures from both the Scottish and UK government who led the response, including the former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and her deputy John Swinney.

    Giving evidence yesterday, Sturgeon denied factoring her politics into decision-making and expressed regret at not locking down sooner.

    On this final day, the inquiry turns to UK Scottish Secretary Alister Jack, before hearing closing submissions.

  4. Sturgeon's image shattered by evidence session, says Scottish Covid Bereaved lawyer

    Aamer Anwar and members of the Scottish Covid Bereaved groupGetty images

    Aamer Anwar and members of the Scottish Covid Bereaved group

    Speaking outside the Edinburgh venue at the end of the day's evidence on Wednesday, lawyer Aamer Anwar made a statement on behalf of the Scottish Covid Bereaved group.

    The group has accused the former first minister of a "betrayal of the many promises she made" during the pandemic.

    Anwar said: "Nicola Sturgeon as first minister became Scotland's master of spin and today was the greatest trial she has ever faced to date.

    "There was no hiding place, no toleration of spin, no acceptance of tear-filled sorrow."

    He said that in comparison to then Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Sturgeon "projected a daily image of sincerity in wanting to do right by the people of Scotland during the pandemic".

    But he added her "carefully crafted image" had been left "shattered by her own hands".

    Anwar continued: "Those who lost loved ones were convinced that they would no longer be invisible in their misery, and Ms Sturgeon would do everything possible to illuminate the truth. That was the very least she owed to those who lost their lives to Covid.

    "Today Nicola Sturgeon stands accused of a betrayal of the many promises she made, including that 'nothing would be off limits' in the public inquiries."

    Read more here.

  5. What did we learn from Sturgeon's evidence yesterday?

    Here's a recap of yesterday's mammoth evidence session with Scotland's former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon:

    • Sturgeon told the Covid Inquiry that one of her chief regrets was not locking down two weeks earlier at the start of the pandemic
    • A tearful Sturgeon admitted that a large part of her wished she hadn't actually been Scotland's first minister when the pandemic struck
    • She insisted none of the decisions she made during that time were based on political considerations
    • The former FM denied she made decisions on instinct and with a small band of trusted advisers
    • Sturgeon also denied that there was an approach of secrecy during Covid, and said that an early lack of testing did not reflect a lack of urgency felt by the government

    Emotional Sturgeon on being FM in pandemic

    • Sturgeon also said that during some of the early days of the pandemic, she felt "fear" and at times was "overwhelmed by the scale" of what she had to deal with
    • Boris Johnson was the wrong person "full stop" to be prime minister of the UK, she said
    • In the morning session, the inquiry focused on the way Sturgeon and her cabinet used WhatsApp and other messaging platforms to conduct government business. Sturgeon insisted messaging was never a part of official government decision-making
    • She admitted deleting her messages but said everything of relevance was available on public record
    • She also told the hearing she thought "every day" about some of the decisions she'd had to make during the pandemic

  6. Welcome

    Alister Jack arriving at the inquiryPA Media

    Alister Jack arriving at the inquiry in Edinburgh

    Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of the UK Covid Inquiry, with proceedings due to get under way for the final time in Edinburgh at around 10:00.

    The inquiry turns to the UK Scottish Secretary Alister Jack.

    We’ll bring you text updates, context and all the analysis you need right here.

    If you want to watch the hearing live, stick with us and tap the 'play' icon at the top of the page in about half an hour.