Humza Yousaf apologises to Covid inquiry over message handling

Scotland’s first minister also says ministerial group made time-sensitive decisions in pandemic that were not discussed at cabinet level

Humza Yousaf has apologised “unreservedly” to both the UK Covid inquiry and to people bereaved by the pandemic for the Scottish government’s failures to hand over WhatsApp messages relating to the handling of the crisis.

“There’s no excuse for it. We should have done better,” Yousaf, Scotland’s first minister, told the inquiry on Thursday.