£1.4m pension for civil servant in 'delete' Covid chats scandal

Payments blasted while families of bereaved are awaiting answers. SNP accused of lining pockets of those who helped hide the truth

- PAUL HUTCHEON

A TOP civil servant who urged colleagues to destroy Covid Whatsapp messages retired with a pension worth £1.4million.

Ken Thomson was also given a CBE despite his role in one of the biggest scandals of Nicola Sturgeon's time as first minister.

Scottish Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said: "Families of the Covid bereaved are still searching for answers because people like Ken Thomson deleted their messages.

"While he enjoys a comfortable retirement, the families may be forever waiting to learn what happened to their loved ones." Sturgeon faced a huge backlash earlier this year over revelations she and her senior civil servants deleted their messages during the pandemic.

They insisted mass deletion was in line with government guidance but the families of Covid victims alleged a cover-up.