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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Was Sturgeon just following WhatsApp guidelines by hitting delete? | Was Sturgeon just following WhatsApp guidelines by hitting delete? |
| (3 months later) | |
| Nicola Sturgeon has said her "informal" messages were handed over to the Covid Inquiry last year | Nicola Sturgeon has said her "informal" messages were handed over to the Covid Inquiry last year |
| Nicola Sturgeon has said her "informal" messages were handed over to the Covid Inquiry last year | Nicola Sturgeon has said her "informal" messages were handed over to the Covid Inquiry last year |
| Questions about Scottish government WhatsApps from the pandemic era have rumbled on for months. | Questions about Scottish government WhatsApps from the pandemic era have rumbled on for months. |
| There have been claims that some messages were handed over too slowly, and even accusations of exchanges being deleted. | There have been claims that some messages were handed over too slowly, and even accusations of exchanges being deleted. |
| Right now, the figure in the spotlight is Nicola Sturgeon. | Right now, the figure in the spotlight is Nicola Sturgeon. |
| Last week the counsel to the UK Covid Inquiry said the former first minister appeared to "have retained no messages whatsoever" from the pandemic. | Last week the counsel to the UK Covid Inquiry said the former first minister appeared to "have retained no messages whatsoever" from the pandemic. |
| In a statement issued yesterday, Nicola Sturgeon said messages communicated through "informal means" were handed to the inquiry last year. | In a statement issued yesterday, Nicola Sturgeon said messages communicated through "informal means" were handed to the inquiry last year. |
| She conceded that messages had not been "retained" on her own device, but said she had obtained copies which she'd passed over. | She conceded that messages had not been "retained" on her own device, but said she had obtained copies which she'd passed over. |
| Ms Sturgeon stressed that she acted in line with Scottish government policy. | Ms Sturgeon stressed that she acted in line with Scottish government policy. |
| Covid Inquiry has my informal messages, says Sturgeon | Covid Inquiry has my informal messages, says Sturgeon |
| Covid Inquiry has my informal messages, says Sturgeon | Covid Inquiry has my informal messages, says Sturgeon |
| Sturgeon's Covid WhatsApp messages 'all deleted' | Sturgeon's Covid WhatsApp messages 'all deleted' |
| Sturgeon's Covid WhatsApp messages 'all deleted' | Sturgeon's Covid WhatsApp messages 'all deleted' |
| Deleting WhatsApp messages was 'pre-bed ritual' | Deleting WhatsApp messages was 'pre-bed ritual' |
| Deleting WhatsApp messages was 'pre-bed ritual' | Deleting WhatsApp messages was 'pre-bed ritual' |
| This has prompted some to ask how guidance can have been followed if messages were not kept on the former first minister's phone. | This has prompted some to ask how guidance can have been followed if messages were not kept on the former first minister's phone. |
| Here things get a bit complicated. Government guidelines in this area are complex. | Here things get a bit complicated. Government guidelines in this area are complex. |
| The Scottish government brought in new mobile messaging guidance in November 2021 - in the midst of the pandemic. This spells out how ministers should approach informal messaging systems, such as WhatsApp. | The Scottish government brought in new mobile messaging guidance in November 2021 - in the midst of the pandemic. This spells out how ministers should approach informal messaging systems, such as WhatsApp. |
| Officials and ministers are allowed to use these apps to conduct business, with the guidance stating "you must transcribe the salient points of any business discussions and/or decisions in a mobile messaging app into an email or text document". This should then be saved centrally. | Officials and ministers are allowed to use these apps to conduct business, with the guidance stating "you must transcribe the salient points of any business discussions and/or decisions in a mobile messaging app into an email or text document". This should then be saved centrally. |
| In other words, you can make decisions and have government discussions on WhatsApp, provided you then copy that information and save it. | In other words, you can make decisions and have government discussions on WhatsApp, provided you then copy that information and save it. |
| This will then be stored exactly as official minutes, records etc would be. Crucially, it will be accessible to the public under Freedom of Information laws. | This will then be stored exactly as official minutes, records etc would be. Crucially, it will be accessible to the public under Freedom of Information laws. |
| Once this has all been done, the guidance states "you must delete business conversations in the mobile messaging app". | Once this has all been done, the guidance states "you must delete business conversations in the mobile messaging app". |
| So the Scottish government policy therefore actively encourages the deletion of conversations on apps like WhatsApp. | So the Scottish government policy therefore actively encourages the deletion of conversations on apps like WhatsApp. |
| Former minister Kate Forbes and current First Minister Humza Yousaf have said they kept all their messages | Former minister Kate Forbes and current First Minister Humza Yousaf have said they kept all their messages |
| Former minister Kate Forbes and current First Minister Humza Yousaf have said they kept all their messages | Former minister Kate Forbes and current First Minister Humza Yousaf have said they kept all their messages |
| The thinking is that the relevant information has now been saved centrally, and so it's safe to get rid of the original conversation. | The thinking is that the relevant information has now been saved centrally, and so it's safe to get rid of the original conversation. |
| What's the logic here? Well, bearing in mind phones can be lost or stolen, you could make the argument that it's sensible to regularly clear them of government conversations. | What's the logic here? Well, bearing in mind phones can be lost or stolen, you could make the argument that it's sensible to regularly clear them of government conversations. |
| This potentially explains how Nicola Sturgeon can say she hasn't retained messages on her own device, but was able to submit "copies" to the inquiry. | This potentially explains how Nicola Sturgeon can say she hasn't retained messages on her own device, but was able to submit "copies" to the inquiry. |
| This could also explain her statement - issued on social media yesterday - that she has always "acted in line with Scottish government policy". | This could also explain her statement - issued on social media yesterday - that she has always "acted in line with Scottish government policy". |
| Though there are still important questions to be asked about all of this. | Though there are still important questions to be asked about all of this. |
| Why does there appear to be a difference in how ministers have approached retaining messages? Humza Yousaf insists he kept all of his from the pandemic. As does the former Finance Secretary Kate Forbes. | Why does there appear to be a difference in how ministers have approached retaining messages? Humza Yousaf insists he kept all of his from the pandemic. As does the former Finance Secretary Kate Forbes. |
| The explanation for this may be that this guidance is… guidance. It's not hard and fast rules, and therefore some ministers may have taken a different approach. | The explanation for this may be that this guidance is… guidance. It's not hard and fast rules, and therefore some ministers may have taken a different approach. |
| Digital wastebasket | Digital wastebasket |
| Many will also question guidance that essentially allows ministers and officials to mark their own homework. | Many will also question guidance that essentially allows ministers and officials to mark their own homework. |
| After all, it looks like it's left up to them to determine which messages are relevant and should be saved for posterity, and which should be chucked into a digital wastebasket, never to be seen again. | After all, it looks like it's left up to them to determine which messages are relevant and should be saved for posterity, and which should be chucked into a digital wastebasket, never to be seen again. |
| And some would say that a looming public inquiry should have led to all ministers keeping everything on their phones intact. | And some would say that a looming public inquiry should have led to all ministers keeping everything on their phones intact. |
| As this guidance is put under the spotlight, it's likely that opposition politicians will question how fit for purpose it is. | As this guidance is put under the spotlight, it's likely that opposition politicians will question how fit for purpose it is. |
| When it comes to how civil servants and ministers interpreted all of this, and how assiduously they followed it, that's something known only to each individual. | When it comes to how civil servants and ministers interpreted all of this, and how assiduously they followed it, that's something known only to each individual. |
| Nicola Sturgeon will get the opportunity to spell all of this out when she appears in front of the UK Covid Inquiry in the coming weeks. | Nicola Sturgeon will get the opportunity to spell all of this out when she appears in front of the UK Covid Inquiry in the coming weeks. |
| Related topics | |
| Coronavirus public inquiry | Coronavirus public inquiry |
| Scottish government | Scottish government |
| Nicola Sturgeon | Nicola Sturgeon |
| Coronavirus | Coronavirus |