NICOLA STURGEON admitted today that she could have been “clearer” in answering a journalist’s question at a Covid briefing, where she was asked whether an inquiry would have access to her WhatsApp messages.

Giving evidence to the Britain-wide Covid Inquiry, the former Scottish first minister said she apologised for any lack of clarity in the answer she gave to Channel 4’s Ciaran Jenkins during one of her media briefings in August 2021.

At the time, she said any inquiry would have access to the messages, but many had been deleted some months previously.

Ms Sturgeon said decisions that she made during the pandemic would stay with her “forever” and it is important to learn from decisions which could have been made differently with hindsight.

She became emotional as she spoke of being “overwhelmed” at times in the early days of the crisis.

Aamer Anwar, the lawyer for the Scottish Covid Bereaved group, said Ms Sturgeon had delivered a “polished performance” at the inquiry but his clients were “deeply unsatisfied” with the explanations around the deletion of WhatsApp messages.

He said the group is considering calling for a criminal investigation into the actions of the former first minister and others, but they would consider their next steps after tomorrow’s evidence session concluded.

Pamela Thomas who lost her brother, James Cameron, during the pandemic said too much time was being taken up on the issue of WhatsApp messages.

She said: “I don’t think they’re capable of actually telling the truth or being transparent.

“Crocodile tears aren’t washing with me.

“If there [are] any tools available to my solicitors or the inquiry with regards to any criminal activity that took place, I would like them to use them all.”

The inquiry, which is currently sitting in Edinburgh, continues.