“Utterly disgraceful”: Nicola Sturgeon in Twitter spat as leading health professor comes under fire

Nicola Sturgeon has hit back at criticism on social media of Professor Devi Sridhar’s support for the Scottish Government’s return to school strategy.

Professor Devi Sridhar took to Twitter on Wednesday morning saying: “@NicolaSturgeon & I are completely aligned & I support her cautious approach to easing lockdown & reopening schools.

“She has kids (& teachers, parents) best interest in mind so better to go slowly, track virus closely & make decisions in a reasoned & data-driven way.”

This statement received criticism from former leader of the Scottish Conservative’s Ruth Davidson, who commented: “Guess someone got the hairdryer treatment over the phone....”

The First Minister hit back saying that the comment was “Untrue” adding: “but more importantly, utterly disgraceful to suggest that a highly respected expert (who I suspect has more integrity in her wee finger than *some* have overall) would be susceptible to that.”

Ms Davidson tweeted that she disagreed it was a disgraceful thing to suggest that the SNP would “put pressure on an expert or words in their mouth” and then added “Louise Richardson or Matt Qvortrup anyone”?

The reference Ms Davidson was making was to a time when former First Minister Alex Salmond was forced to apologise for misleading the Scottish parliament over the position of Dr Qvortrup on the independence referendum in 2014.

The Scottish Government has come under fire from the Scottish Conservatives for their back to school policy starting in August and incorporating blended learning, leading Jackson Carlaw MSP to say that: “The SNP are failing our children.”

Ms Sturgeon has refuted these claims saying at a press conference that the Scottish Government was “determined to do right for children” adding: “And we’ll work with parents, young people & teachers to build confidence.”

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