THE First Minister is urging the UK’s central and devolved governments to pledge to a public inquiry into the handling of the Covid pandemic, to be underway by the end of the year.

Nicola Sturgeon has already committed to establishing an inquiry in Scotland on that timescale.

However, she believes that due to the nature of the issue it would also be beneficial for a public inquiry with a four nations focus.

In response to the issue, the First Minister said: “I am committed to establishing in Scotland a judge-led public inquiry to examine all aspects of our handling of the pandemic - including the situation in our care homes - and to have this underway before the end of this year.  

"This will happen in Scotland whether or not it happens in other parts of the UK.

“However, there is no doubt it would be beneficial to have an inquiry that could look across the four nations as well as at specific issues within each nation - this would help provide answers to families, businesses and all those who have made sacrifices over the last year.

“I hope all government across the UK will join me in committing to a full public inquiry starting later this year."

The SNP manifesto, which was launched on Thursday, also states: "As we start to look to the future it is vital that we learn from and reflect on our experience.

"To do this, we will commission a statutory, person-centred and human rights-based public inquiry into the handling of the coronavirus pandemic in Scotland.

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“We will make sure the voices of families who have lost loved ones are heard as part of establishing the inquiry and that they have an active role in the process.

“We will begin to take the necessary steps to establish the public inquiry as soon as possible after the election. "

Sturgeon later clarified a BBC Scotland headline posted to Twitter about an interview she did with the broadcaster's political editor, Glenn Campbell, where she outlines the need for a four nations approach to an inquiry.

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BBC Scotland News tweeted: “Nicola Sturgeon says the way elderly people were discharged from hospital to care homes in the early stages of the pandemic was a mistake.”

To which Sturgeon responded: “What I said is that with the benefit of knowledge we have now (but did not have then), it was a mistake.

“But too many people in care homes died and we must be candid about that.

“I hope the other UK govts will join me in committing to a full public inquiry starting later this year.”