Scottish Conservative leader Jackson Carlaw has said the public has lost confidence in the country’s chief medical officer (CMO) after she was pictured vising her second home in Fife.
Dr Catherine Calderwood apologised for her actions at a briefing in Edinburgh today.
She admitted she had visited the property in Earlsferry near Fife twice – and that she had not followed the advice she has been giving to the public during the lockdown.
She said: “People have told me I am irresponsible, that I have behaved as if my advice does not apply to me. I want people to know I have seen all of that”.
“What I did was wrong. I’m very sorry. It will not happen again.”
She said having spoken to the First Minister she plans to remain in post and focus on her job advising ministers and supporting the medical profession.
During her statement today Nicola Sturgeon said the chief medical officer “made a mistake” in travelling away from her home.
“She was wrong and knows that,” she said.
“It was not in line with the advice we are asking everyone to follow. She has unreservedly apologised to me and the public.”
Ms Sturgeon said the advice she has received from the CMO so far has been “invaluable” and she needed Dr Calderwood to remain in post to help steer the government through the crisis.
In a statement on twitter Mr Carlaw said: “I appreciate the professional support @NicolaSturgeon believes she has received from the CMO. But this is also about public confidence not just in the CMO herself but crucially, public confidence and trust in the advice being given by her. This has been lost.”
He also tweeted ahead of the press conference stating:
There cannot be one rule for bosses and another for everyone else.
My full statement on Dr Calderwood’s position below.👇 pic.twitter.com/XssHyKbJ0i
— Jackson Carlaw MSP (@Jackson_Carlaw) April 5, 2020
