SCOTLAND’S National Clinical Director clashed with Richard Leonard last night, claiming he’d been misrepresented by the Scottish Labour leader.
The Twitter spat between Jason Leitch and the MSP came after the professor urged Scots to prepare for a “digital Christmas”.
Asked what December 25 might look like this year, Leitch told BBC Radio Scotland’s Good Morning Scotland programme: “It’s honestly too early to say.
“I’m worried first about Halloween and November 5 – and then we may turn our minds to Christmas.
“I’m hopeful costs now may get us a more family Christmas – but Christmas is not going to be normal. There’s actually no question about that.
"We’re not going to have large family groupings with multiple families around, that is fiction for this year.
“I am hopeful, if we can get the numbers down to a certain level, we may be able to get some form of normality.
“People should get their digital Christmas ready.”
Leitch’s comments angered Leonard, who described the intervention as “tone deaf”.
He tweeted: “Thousands of Scots struggling and face a miserable Dickensian Christmas after months of lockdown.
“Not everyone has unlimited digital access.
“The real ‘fiction’ is @Scotgov is handling the pandemic well.”
Last night, Leitch responded: “Wow. Tone deaf? I didn’t suggest a miserable Dickensian Christmas, Richard. If you listen to the interview I said a large multi-household family gathering doesn’t seem likely and what we’re all doing now will I hope get us closer to a family Christmas…for me, for you and others.”
Wow. Tone deaf? I didn’t suggest a miserable Dickensian Christmas Richard. If you listen to the interview I said a large multi-household family gathering doesn’t seem likely and what we’re all doing now will I hope get us closer to a family Christmas…for me, for you and others
— Jason Leitch (@jasonleitch) October 22, 2020
Leonard hit back: “Word choice always matters, & particularly so in a pandemic. Flippancy & throwaway statements ought to have no place in public health communications.”
Labour supporters took to social media to criticise Leitch for responding.
John Erskine, a former candidate for the party tweeted: “Bizarre and utterly unhealthy seeing civil servant @jasonleitch Scotland’s National Clinical Director directly rebutting opposition politicians comments. Can you imagine Chris Whitty challenging Keir Starmer on Twitter?”
However, the clinician was firmly defended by SNP supporters. Glasgow councillor Mhairi Hunter tweeted: “You would need to imagine Keir Starmer tweeting a personal attack on Whitty first. Doesn't seem like the kind of thing he would do.”
While MSP Fulton MacGregor said Leitch's response was "spot on".
He added: "Richard Leonard represents Lanarkshire where our hospitals are now close to capacity. This is not the time for political stunts but for us to come together, beat this virus and get through these tough times!"
Leonard also faced criticism from his own side. Former Labour candidate Bruce Whitehead tweeted: “Leitch can be a brash and irritating man, but he’s also a senior clinician & the focus should ALWAYS be Sturgeon & her health team."
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