Nicola Sturgeon has firmly denied that a row over her not wearing a face mask was the equivalent of the partygate scandal surrounding Boris Johnson.
The First Minister was pictured briefly without a face covering while visiting a barber shop in East Kilbride on a campaign stop last weekend.
A member of the public promptly reported the SNP leader to the police as the rules on wearing face coverings in indoor public places did not come to an end until Monday.
But officers announced they would take no further action after speaking with Sturgeon to remind her of the importance of following the rules on face masks.
The First Minister is in London today just hours after Boris Johnson was forced to apologise to MPs at Westminster over the on-going partygate scandal.
The Prime Minister and other top Downing Street aides were fined by the Met Police last week after they were found to have breached strict lockdown rules in 2020.
Johnson faces the prospect of paying more fines due to the number of alleged parties being investigated by police.
Speaking with STV News today, Sturgeon denied there was any comparison between her mistake and the "culture of lawbreaking" in Downing Street.
She said: "I have recognised that I have made an error in not having a mask on for literally a few seconds.
"I was campaigning in the street, my mask was in my pocket, I got shouted into a barbers, I was talking to people and for a few seconds I forgot to put my mask back on.
"Now, I do think it is important for me to recognise that was wrong and I shouldn't have - even for those few seconds - lapsed in that.
"I recognise the onus that is on me."
The SNP leader added: "People will make up their own minds about that.
"My view, and what I would say to people, is that I don't think it is equivalent to what Boris Johnson is accused of - what appears to be a serial culture of lawbreaking in No 10, and he misleading of parliament.
"I do think there is a very clear difference there and I think it is reasonable for me to point that out."
In the Commons on Tuesday, the Prime Minister – who has already paid a fixed penalty notice for a breach of lockdown rules – repeatedly apologised to MPs.
But he also insisted he had not believed a gathering in the Cabinet Room at No 10 to mark his 56th birthday had violated the regulations in place at the time.
The First Minister addressed the issue on ITV's Loose Women, where she said the difference between the rule breaks was that Johnson was not “honest”.
In a heated debate with panellist Carol McGiffin, Ms Sturgeon said: “With Boris it’s the serial breaches at a time when the rest of the country was in very, very strict lockdown.
“But it’s also, to be blunt about it, when this first came to light he wasn’t honest about it and he wasn’t honest in the House of Commons.
“It’s really important that people can trust the Prime Minister to tell the truth. There’s got to be consequences for your actions.”
To sign up to the Daily Record Politics newsletter, click here.
