FORMER Labour minister Malcolm Chisholm has hit out at his old Scotland Office colleague over comments made about public health expert Devi Sridhar.

Brian Wilson, who served in the Scotland Office under Tony Blair, wrote about the professor currently advising the Scottish Governmentā€™s Covid-19 response in a column for the Scotsman.

The former MP discussed what he sees as an ā€œidioticĀ argument about bordersā€ in the piece, referencing the First Ministerā€™s refusal to rule out implementing quarantine rules for people entering Scotland from the rest of the UK if health advice indicates itā€™s right to do so.

Nicola Sturgeonā€™s comments were branded ā€œrecklessā€ and ā€œdivisiveā€ by Scottish Secretary Alister Jack this week, while Boris Johnson denied the existence of the Border and Jacob Rees-Mogg insisted Scotland is just a ā€œdistrict or an areaā€.

The First Minister said yesterday that itā€™s estimated the level of the virus in England is five times higher than in Scotland.

Sridhar, who has been critical of the UK Government's approach to the pandemic,Ā told the New Scientist earlier in the week that it's unlikely Scotland can eliminate the virus without England's co-operation.

Writing in the newspaper, Wilson states: ā€œProfessor Devi Sridhar, who advises the Scottish Government, recently posted: ā€˜If youā€™re wondering why more public health people didnā€™t speak out publicly in early March ā€¦ fear of losing grant income is a key factor.ā€™

The National:

ā€œSince then, Professor Sridhar has put herself on the safe side, having set the hare running about quarantining people entering Scotland from England. I hope she looked at social media, though not for too long unless she has a strong stomach, to learn about her new fan-base.ā€

Wilson went on: ā€œVery oddly, Professor Sridhar also tweeted: ā€˜The number of people just waiting with glee to see New Zealand, Australia, Scotland, Greece, Taiwan, Denmark, Germany and other countries lose control of Covid. Schadenfreude.ā€™

ā€œThis is weird. Does she know people who think like that? And why does Scotland, with 4200 deaths in a population of 5.5 million feature among countries which have kept deaths to one tenth of that ratio. It all seems a bit strange.ā€

The former MP goes on to say Sridharā€™s colleague at Edinburgh University, where she is chair of global public health, modelled an action after the Nike conference in Edinburgh which ā€œcould have saved 2000 livesā€ ā€“ but says it ā€œremained secretā€.

But weeks ago Scotlandā€™s chief medical officer said scientists had found there was no wider outbreak linked to the Edinburgh event by looking at, essentially, the ā€œfamily treeā€ of the virus.

Chisholm, who also served in the Scotland Office under Blair, said he was ā€œappalledā€ by his former colleagueā€™s comments.

The former Holyrood health minister tweeted: ā€œAppalled as former Scottish Office colleague Brian Wilson attacks integrity of @devisridhar in Scotsman.

ā€œThousands would attest sheā€™s been voice of reason invariably proved right,independent often urging ScotGov to go further,in company of many public health experts when praising.ā€

The post was retweeted hundreds of times, and Twitter users replied to voice their support for the professor.

Earlier this week Sridhar defended herself online when she was branded a ā€œso-called expertā€ by a Unionist account.

READ MORE:Ā Devi Sridhar hits back as Unionist brands her a 'so-called' expert

The user told her: ā€œWe donā€™t need so called experts playing politicsā€¦.why canā€™t you just give advice and leave the ā€˜SNP are the light in the darknessā€™ rubbish to the rest of the cult.ā€

Sridhar responded to reject the claims. She wrote back: ā€œI currently live and work in Scotland.

ā€œI want Scotland to get rid of the virus, reopen economy and schools and have those shielding feel safe. I contribute my expertise to support this happening.

ā€œI want the same for entire UK. How can anyone living here want Scotland to fail?ā€