Emma Roddick MSP opens up on the death of her mother Sue to Covid-19

Former government minister Emma Roddick has spoken of her grief at losing her mother to Covid-19 during the 2021 winter lockdown.

On Sunday, Scotland marks the Covid-19 day of reflection, five years on from the start of the coronavirus pandemic in the UK.

Ms Roddick, the SNP MSP for the Highlands and Islands, spoke to Scotland on Sunday about dealing with her mother’s death, the impact of the coronavirus lockdowns, and her thoughts on the “partygate” scandal.

Sue Roddick, 59, a retired social worker from Alness, died after contracting Covid-19 at the beginning of 2021.

Sue Roddick died at the beginning of 2021. | Supplied

“It was really difficult,” Ms Roddick told The Steamie politics podcast.

“My mother passed away very early in 2021 during lockdown, we were still coming out of the Christmas we were not allowed to spend together.

“I have felt that pain and the immediate impact of those restrictions, but I understand why they are in place.

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“It is hard to sit and listen to those who don’t have my experience but try to use my experience to attack the Scottish Government when my mother and I were completely on board with what was going on.

“If those restrictions stopped even one other mother from passing away, then I am quite happy to have done it.”

She added she hopes the public would follow restrictions if there was a future pandemic, and said: “Lockdowns are hard, but it is harder to lose folk.”

Emma Roddick MSP | Jane Barlow/Press Association

Ms Roddick won her seat in Holyrood at the 2021 Scottish Parliament election shortly after her mother died.

She also spoke about the hurt she felt at the partygate scandal of Downing Street parties taking place despite the lockdown restrictions that were in place, and the fine former prime ministers Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak received for breaking the rules.

“It was just depressing,” Ms Roddick said. “But I can’t say I was shocked.

“It felt very much like the Westminster culture you hear about, it tracked.

“It was important partygate came out and got shared, especially for the people who had been following the rules for the right reasons.

“Personally I was offended and hurt by the fact that the folk who put in the laws and stopped people from seeing their loved ones when they were ill and dying were having parties in the office at the same time.

“When I think about it my heart sinks, because it was awful - but it is not the only time lawmakers in the UK have broken their own laws.”

There is now a UK and Scottish Covid-19 inquiry being carried out, to try to learn lessons from the pandemic, and Ms Roddick is one of thousands of Covid bereaved family members who are watching closely to make sure the right questions are being asked.

Former equalities minister Emma Roddick

She said: “Now being a legislator in Holyrood, it is quite an odd position to be in, particularly when the inquiry was reporting last year.

“Good questions have been asked around care homes and those who were limited in where they could go and what they could do and see, and the impact of loneliness and the loss of routine for people.

“There must now be lessons for the next pandemic - no-one thinks that was a one-off that could never happen again.

“We are living in more global times and if something can mutate, then it can go around the world.

“We need to be ready for that, but a lot of the time the right questions are not being asked.

“I am looking forward to the inquiries concluding so I can sit with that information.

“I would love for the inquiries to be less party political and more focused on what the actual process is if there is a pandemic next year, such as who takes charge, who makes the decision, what we know works and what we know is not worth doing.”