Jenny Gilruth: Bullying claims against me are 'entirely baseless'

The deputy first minister denied ever sending an email criticising her department’s staff, and said the team was “very good” and “very supportive”.

Last month The Scottish Sun on Sunday reported that Ms Gilruth had allegedly written an email naming officials in her department that she did not like and wanted to axe.

It was reported that staff were “terrified” of the deputy first minister and had branded her a “bully” after the email was accidentally shared with staff.

An insider had told the newspaper: “[She] basically named and shamed everybody, saying they are not worthy of working for her.”

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However, Ms Gilruth said she does not recognise the claims in this report.

Speaking to BBC Radio Scotland Breakfast, she said: “I don’t recognise those reports at all, and I sent no such email, as an FOI submitted by The Sun newspaper will confirm.

“The story itself was entirely baseless in nature.”

When asked what the atmosphere in her government department team was, she said: “Very good, actually, very supportive.

“I have to say, I don’t recognise these anonymous comments, and it’s very difficult for me to respond to things anonymously.”

When the report was first made, opposition parties called for Ms Gilruth to face a Holyrood inquiry, despite the Scottish government immediately dismissing the claims in the report as “factually wrong”.

At the time, a government spokesperson said: “As is standard after any reshuffle, staffing support in private offices was reviewed, and changes were made in several ministerial offices following the election.”

Last month First Minister John Swinney said there was “no basis” to the accusations against his deputy and insisted “there was no email issued by the deputy first minister or her office”.

He added: “There is no basis for these claims so there is nowhere for this story to go.”

In May Ms Gilruth was made the finance secretary and the deputy first minister after winning 48.5 per cent of the vote in the Mid Fife and Glenrothes constituency. In John Swinney’s last government, the former modern studies teacher had served as education secretary.