Nicola Sturgeon was told by police after footage showed she was apparently violating her own covid face mask law during the council’s election campaign.
A video posted on social media appears to show Scotland’s first minister not wearing a mask during a visit to a barber shop in East Kilbride on Saturday.
There is currently a legal requirement to wear facial coverage in most indoor public places in Scotland, including shops, public transport and hairdressing salons.
In the video, Sturgeon appears to be uncovered as he mingles with customers and pats a man’s head in a barber chair, mimicking the sound of an electric razor.
The first minister wears a tartan face mask in a video from his visit to Iconic Gents Hair, posted on her official Twitter account, which shows him shaving a man’s beard.
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A Scottish police spokesman said: “We can confirm that we have received a complaint, which is currently being assessed.”
Scotland’s conservative shadow health minister, Dr Sandesh Gulhane, has accused the first minister of “outright hypocrisy”.
He said: “The video clearly shows that Nicholas Sturgeon does not practice what he preaches on face masks.
“She is happy to signal official photos, but behind closed doors it is clear that she does not believe in her own rules, so why need someone else.
“This is outright hypocrisy on the part of the first minister, who has now shown his true color.
“The public, which has been under these legal restrictions from Covid for more than two years, deserves an apology for this breach of the rules.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon is photographed without a mask in a hairdresser
The legal requirement to wear a face mask indoors in Scotland will be repealed tomorrow.
The Scottish Government’s policy will still be to urge people to cover indoors in an attempt to reduce the spread of the virus.
A SNP spokesman said: “The first minister was invited to a barber shop during an outdoor visit to the street.
“Within seconds, she realized she hadn’t put her mask back on, and she put it on right away.”
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