ALISTER Jack deleted every single WhatsApp message from during the Covid pandemic.
The Scottish Secretary admitted to completely wiping informal messaging from his phone while giving evidence to the Covid Inquiry on Thursday.
It comes despite the Scottish Tories attacking Nicola Sturgeon and other SNP figures for not having kept all their WhatsApp messages.
Asked if he had deleted some of his informal messaging, Jack told the inquiry: “I didn't delete some of the messages, no. I deleted all of them.”
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He claimed he had done so to free up space on his phone. He told the inquiry he had deleted all of his messages in November 2021.
Jack further denied thinking that the messages could have been useful for a future inquiry into the pandemic response.
"I knew that I did not take government decisions by WhatsApp and that will be borne out by the WhatsApps of ministers that you do have," he said.
The revelation is embarrassing for Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross, who has leapt on the news that SNP ministers deleted their WhatsApps from during the pandemic.
"The inquiry has exposed their sickening cynicism and self-interest," Ross said. “We have learned of the orchestrated and concerted efforts of senior ministers and officials to delete WhatsApp messages en masse."
After John Swinney said he had deleted all of his WhatsApp in line with government policy, the Scottish Tories said on social media that it was "evidence of an orchestrated and concerted effort by senior SNP ministers to hide crucial messages".
Elsewhere at the inquiry evidence session, Jack suggested that former first minister Nicola Sturgeon had been acting when she became visibly emotional under questioning.
“I watched that evidence from yesterday and I didn’t believe it for a minute," he said. “I think Nicola Sturgeon could cry from one eye if she wanted to.”
Responding to Jack's admission, SNP MP John Nicolson quipped: "Waiting for the screams of outrage from @ScotTories HQ."
Speaking at Holyrood on Thursday, Ross said Jack had been "wrong to delete WhatsApp messages".
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