Scottish Greens apologise for breaking Covid rules

The photo shows Lothian MSP Lorna Slater - from Edinburgh - seated at a pub table with a man; West of Scotland MSP Ross Greer - from East Dunbartonshire - standing by the table; and the back of Glasgow MSP Patrick Harvie as he walks towards the table

Scottish Greens co-leaders Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater have apologised after being pictured in a pub, breaking Covid rules on indoor social gatherings.

The two leaders, along with fellow MSP Ross Greer and another man, were seen in an Edinburgh bar on Tuesday.

Edinburgh's Covid restrictions means only three households are allowed to be together in indoor hospitality.

The Scottish Greens said its MSPs had made a "honest mistake".

The story was first reported by The Scottish Sun which said the gathering took place in a pub in the city's George Street close to Nicola Sturgeon's official Bute House residence on Tuesday.

In a statement to The Scottish Sun, the co-leaders Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater said: "We attended a work-related meeting in a venue in central Edinburgh on Tuesday evening, where the three-household limit was not upheld.

"This was an honest mistake, we're kicking ourselves and we apologise unreservedly."

'Definitely a mistake'

Speaking to ITV Border at Holyrood on Wednesday, Ms Slater said: "It does look like we broke the rules, that was a mistake and I am very sorry for that.

"It was definitely a mistake for us to have a work meeting under those circumstances.

"We had been meeting all day of course those of us because we're work colleagues, but that meeting was a mistake and I'm very sorry for that."

Lorna Slater is an MSP for the first time while fellow co-leader Patrick Harvie was returned on the Glasgow regional list at the recent Holyrood election

Mr Harvie lives in Glasgow, the only part of Scotland subject to level three restrictions where bars are not allowed to serve alcohol indoors.

The regulations state that people can only leave or enter a level three area for a permitted reason, such as going to work.

The Scottish Greens said the meeting inside the bar was work-related and his presence was therefore covered by the exemption.