Can the SNP ever recover from the fall of Nicola Sturgeon?

Revelations that she used the pandemic to further the SNPs drive for independence and a wavering, emotional appearance at the Covid enquiry don’t detract from the fact that, without her, the party and its principal cause remains in the political doldrums, writes Sean O’Grady

The former first minister of Scotland broke down at one point under questioning during the Covid inquiry in Edinburgh, an uncharacteristic show of emotion (UK Covid-19 Inquiry/YouTube)

Nicola Sturgeon’s appearance at the UK Covid-19 Inquiry is a reminder both of how central a figure she was, not just during the pandemic but at the top of Scottish and national elections for about two decades – and how far she has since fallen from grace. It is almost a year now since she announced her unexpected decision to step down as SNP leader and Scottish first minister. Since then, her reputation and the standing of her party, both then looking unassailable, have undergone a precipitate collapse. The consequences for Scotland and the UK will be far-reaching…

How did Sturgeon do?

It certainly wasn’t an easy time for her. She did break down at one point, an uncharacteristic show of emotion, and it’s fair to say that the KC’s rather gentle style of questioning was nonetheless both persistent and revealing. During the proceedings, Sturgeon was made to concede that she did use personal channels of digital communication for non-trivial and policy-related purposes, contrary to the impression she had previously given. She also had to, in effect, apologise for deleting them when she’d said they would be made available to the inquiry. Awkward queries about the working of the small “Gold Command” group that made key decisions on the pandemic were also made of her, and Sturgeon was confronted with documentary evidence indicating she wished to politicise the pandemic in the continuing campaign for independence.