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Johnson hands WhatsApps and notebooks to Cabinet Office amid Covid inquiry row

31 May 2023 2 minute read
Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Picture by Stefan Rousseau / PA Wire

Boris Johnson has handed his unredacted WhatsApp messages and notebooks to the Cabinet Office, as the former prime minister called on the Government to “urgently disclose” the material to the Covid-19 inquiry.

The Cabinet Office had claimed it did not have access to Mr Johnson’s WhatsApp messages and private notebooks, which were demanded by inquiry chairwoman Baroness Hallett.

Ministers have so far objected to the release of “unambiguously irrelevant” material.

The inquiry has set a deadline of 4pm on Thursday to hand over Mr Johnson’s messages, notebooks and official diaries, having granted a 48-hour extension on Tuesday.

Disclosed

A spokesman for Mr Johnson said all the material requested by the Covid inquiry had been handed to the Cabinet Office and should be disclosed to Baroness Hallett.

“All Boris Johnson’s material – including WhatsApps and notebooks – requested by the Covid inquiry has been handed to the Cabinet Office in full and in unredacted form,” the spokesman said on Wednesday.

“Mr Johnson urges the Cabinet Office to urgently disclose it to the inquiry.

“The Cabinet Office has had access to this material for several months. Mr Johnson would immediately disclose it directly to the inquiry if asked.

“While Mr Johnson understands the Government’s position, and does not seek to contradict it, he is perfectly happy for the inquiry to have access to this material in whatever form it requires.

“Mr Johnson co-operated with the inquiry in full from the beginning of this process and continues to do so.

“Indeed, he established the inquiry. He looks forward to continuing to assist the inquiry with its important work.”


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Y Cymro
Y Cymro
1 year ago

Slippery pig Boris Johnson’s initial refusal to hand over his WhatsApp messages & diary was likely a stalling exercise by this Tory government to get some spotty Tory tech geek from Eton to manipulate the files. And yes it sounds like a conspiracy theory but this Conservative idocracy is capable of anything seeing politics have reached a new low. Roll on Welsh independence from our ball & chain Westminster. The stench of corruption makes my eyes water

Mab Meirion
Mab Meirion
1 year ago

Sunak’s bucket of ministerial crabs will be on full spin cycle, just imagine the desperate chatter on What’sApp tonight as careers and future earnings disappear down the drain, and perhaps a few more refusals to run the gauntlet before the next election…

Dai Ponty
Dai Ponty
1 year ago

Boris is out for revenge he handed them over not because he is trying to do the right thing ITS FOR REVENGE AGAINST THOSE WHO DEPOSED THE FAT BUFFOON from downing street Sunak stabbed him in the Back now he is out for revenge and the others i think its great the Scum party are fighting like rats in a barrel

David Charles pearn
David Charles pearn
1 year ago
Reply to  Dai Ponty

Rats in a sack Dai 😉👍.

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