SNP minister Elena Whitham apologises for leaked WhatsApp texts

Elena Whitham apologised for her leaked messages via social media

An SNP MSP has apologised after leaked WhatsApp messages showed her insulting colleagues.

Elena Whitham, the drugs policy minister, described a fellow party member as a "cold fish" in messages published by the Daily Record.

She also criticised other colleagues, a Tory MSP and a Holyrood discussion on the Queen's Jubilee.

In a statement on social media Ms Whitham apologised, saying the comments were "not acceptable".

First Minister Humza Yousaf later told reporters he had spoken to the minister about the messages.

During a visit to Peterhead he said: "She was right to apologise to her colleagues in particular, I think it was the right thing to do.

"But importantly it's not going to distract Elena, nor is it going to distract me from the important work that she has to do, that we have to do collectively, in tackling our drugs deaths crisis in Scotland."

The leaks are reported to have come from a group chat and showed Ms Whitham using a rolling eyes emoji to react to Angus Robertson's appointment as culture secretary in 2021.

"Angus in Cabinet - the ego has landed," she wrote.

That same year Ms Witham who is the MSP for for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley criticised then Social Justice Secretary Shona Robinson on her presentation skills.

"Shona needing to find her stride here. She is struggling," she wrote.

"It is a great statement and we are doing so much amazing work but she isn't selling it as well as she could. She is a bit of a cold fish."

'I apologise sincerely'

Messages also showed Ms Witham insulting Scottish Conservative MSP Brian Whittle and criticizing her own party's handling of the accusations against Patrick Grady.

Mr Grady, the MP for Glasgow North, was found to have behaved inappropriately towards a teenage member of staff in 2016 and a leaked recording from the SNP Westminster group revealed some internal support for him.

"Who is recording group meetings?! And why are we supporting Grady?? Honestly," Ms Witham wrote.

In a tweet in response to the Daily Record story she said: "These comments were not acceptable and I apologise sincerely." Ms Whitham told BBC Scotland she could not comment further due to "legal Issues".

An SNP spokesperson said: "We do not comment on leaked messages, however we remind all of our parliamentarians of the courtesy and respect they should show each other."

Analysis by Jenni Davidson, BBC Scotland political reporter

The BBC has not seen the WhatsApp messages that have been quoted in the Daily Record, but Elena Whitham has responded by tweeting an apology, which suggests she doesn't dispute its accuracy.

Obviously this leak has repercussions for Elena Whitham herself, given the nature of some of the comments.

But it's yet another headache for Humza Yousaf, too. Since becoming SNP leader and first minister he has spent much of his time firefighting negative news stories about the party. This is yet more bad news.

It's not just Elena's Whitham's own comments, but that someone within that WhatsApp group decided to leak them to the media.

The SNP used to be known for presenting a unified front and keeping a lid on dissent and disagreement, at least in public. Those times seem to be gone.