Yousaf:I took a hell of a bullet from Nic

Sturgeon anger blasted as 'absolutely ridiculous' in texts

NICOLA Sturgeon began "ranting" at Humza Yousaf in a row over business support during the pandemic, the UK Covid Inquiry has heard.

In a text message exchange from December 2021, Yousaf said he took "a hell of a bullet" from his old boss.

Yousaf, now First Minister but then serving as Health Secretary, had suggested at Cabinet the government should consider reallocating £100million of health funding to support for businesses if tougher limits on social gatherings were introduced.

Jason Leitch, the national clinical director, told Yousaf in the text exchange he had been watching the Cabinet meeting and branded Sturgeon's reaction to him as "absolutely ridiculous".

The text conversation was shown to John Swinney at the UK Covid Inquiry yesterday as an example of how the then first minister conducted meetings of her Cabinet.

Jamie Dawson KC, counsel to the inquiry, asked if Sturgeon often tried to "trump" the views of others at the weekly sessions at Bute House.

Swinney, who served as Scottish Government minister for 16 years, denied that Cabinet meetings.

were "driven by Nicola Sturgeon's strong-mindedness".

Swinney added: "The First Minister encouraged an open discussion at Cabinet and different points of view were expressed." The former deputy first minister was then shown the text exchange between Yousaf and Leitch from December 2021, when the government was grappling with the emerging threat of the Omicron variant.