Scotland’s chief medical officer Catherine Calderwood has resigned her position and tendered public apology for breaching the UK lockdown by visiting her second home.
This comes after photos emerged on Scottish Sun of her paying a visit to her holiday home on the east coast of the country over the weekend.
Dr Calderwood – who has been a leading voice in urging the public to obey the lockdown -has however admitted it was the second time she had done so during the lockdown.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon defended the medical officer during a Sunday news briefing, but subsequently confirmed the chief medic would not attend future conferences.
Following that decision, Dr Calderwood issued her resignation. In a statement, she said: “I am deeply sorry for my actions and the mistakes I have made.
“The first minister and I have had a further conversation this evening and we have agreed that the justifiable focus on my behaviour risks becoming a distraction from the hugely important job that government and the medical profession has to do in getting the country through this coronavirus pandemic.”
Dr Calderwood added: “Having worked so hard on the government’s response, that is the last thing I want.”
