Boris Johnson – latest: Government withholding WhatsApp messages from Covid Inquiry ‘to protect Rishi Sunak’

The government is withholding Boris Johnson’s WhatsApp messages from the official Covid inquiry to protect Rishi Sunak and other serving ministers, it is reported.

The Cabinet Office is resisting requests from inquiry chair Lady Hallett to hand over the former prime minister’s unredacted messages and diaries from the pandemic.

It fears that giving in to the former judge would mean all other evidence from ministers, including Mr Sunak himself, would have to be submitted without redactions, The Guardian reported.

Earlier, Downing Street denied the row over the disclosure of Mr Johnson’s WhatsApp messages and notebooks to the Covid inquiry was a “cover-up”.

Responding to criticism from former head of the civil service Lord Kerslake, and asked whether there was a “cover up”, Rishi Sunkak’s official spokesman said: “No. We want to learn the lessons about the actions of the state during the pandemic, we want that to be done rigorously and candidly.”

The government has also said it does not have Boris Johnson’s WhatsApp messages or notebooks as a legal battle hangs over the former prime minister.

Key Points

• Government withholding WhatsApp messages ‘to protect Rishi Sunak’

• No 10 denies Covid message ‘cover up’

• Covid-19 inquiry extends deadline for government to hand over Boris Johnson’s WhatsApps

• Deadline looms to release Boris Johnson messages in Whitehall Covid inquiry clash

• Ministers accused of ‘cover up’ over refusal to hand over Boris Johnson’s WhatsApps

Government withholding Johnson’s WhatsApp messages to protect Sunak - report

07:45 , Matt Mathers

The government is withholding Boris Johnson’s WhatsApp messages from the official Covid inquiry to protect Rishi Sunak and other serving ministers, Archie Mitchell reports.

The Cabinet Office is resisting requests from inquiry chair Lady Hallett to hand over the former prime minister’s unredacted messages and diaries from the pandemic.

It fears that giving in to the former judge would mean all other evidence from ministers, including Mr Sunak himself, would have to be submitted without redactions, The Guardian reported.

The government argues it is opposing Lady Hallett’s request to protect the privacy of ministers and officials.

10 arrested at Just Stop Oil climate protest in Parliament Square

13:45 , Matt Mathers

Just Stop Oil protesters have been arrested for failing to move out of the road in Parliament Square in their latest slow march.

The group said 10 supporters, including a wheelchair-dependent, retired cook and members of Christian Climate Action, were detained by police on Wednesday.

They were among a larger group of 56 activists who were staging a slow march near the Houses of Parliament, following earlier protest action in west London when the A4 was blocked during rush hour.

JSO has held demonstrations every day since April 24, and has pledged to carry on indefinitely until the Government stops granting new licences for gas, coal and oil.

Those arrested included grandmother Ari Rox, 74, from Exeter, who has post-polio syndrome and uses a wheelchair, along with her carer for the day, Larch Maxey, who were removed from Parliament Square in a taxi.

Mr Maxey told the PA news agency the government should do the "honourable thing" and stop issuing the new licences for fossil fuels, adding: "We’re here at the heart of democracy asking for that demand to be met."

Pictures posted on social media earlier showed protesters gathered at the square:

‘No brainer’ for Johnson WhatsApp messages to be released

13:20 , Matt Mathers

The historian Sir Anthony Seldon, who recently chronicled Mr Johnson’s time in No 10 said it was a “simple no brainer" for his Covid-era messages to be released to the inquiry, Kate Devlin reports.

“This event was so seismic and the premiership of Boris Johnson was so catastrophic, we have to get out the full facts,” he told TalkTV.

Mr Johnson has said he would be happy to hand over the messages.

Government has ‘nothing to hide’ in Johnson WhatsApp row - minister

13:00 , Matt Mathers

A cabinet minister has insisted the government has “nothing to hide” in the row over Boris Johnson’s Whatsapps, Kate Devlin reports.

Mel Stride said that ministers understood the importance of the Covid inquiry.

He told Times radio: “Certainly the government has absolutely nothing to hide. And in fact, over the last few months, we’ve released 55,000 different documents, I believe eight witness statements and corporate witness statements, etc. to the inquiry. There is this issue over the request for various WhatsApps from various individuals, which is a matter for the individuals and also for the Cabinet Office...I wouldn’t want to be trying to sort of prejudge where all of that will land.”

He added: “The government totally gets the importance (of the probe). And that’s why we set up this inquiry, of getting to the bottom of the important lessons there are to learn from what happened because of course, many of us were deeply, deeply affected by the pandemic and the lockdown and the response to it.”

Sunak ‘concerned’ about AI ‘existential threat’

12:45 , Matt Mathers

Reports that artificial intelligence (AI) poses an “existential threat” to humanity are “concernig”, Rishi Sunak has said - Archie Mitchell reports.

The prime minister highlighted benefits of AI including the potential to discover new antibiotics. But Mr Sunak added that any developments in the field must be done “in a way that is safe and secure”.

“That’s why I met last week with the CEOs of major AI companies to discuss what are the guardrails that we need to put in place, what’s the type of regulation that should be put in place to keep us safe,” he said.

Mr Sunak said: “People will be concerned by the reports that AI poses an existential risk like pandemics or nuclear wars - I want them to be reassured that the government is looking very carefully at this.

“And I think the UK can play a leadership role because ultimately, we’re only going to grapple with this problem and solve it if we work together not just with the companies, but with countries around the world. It’s something that I’ve already been discussing with other leaders at the G7 summit the other week, I’ll be doing that again when I visit the US very soon.”

The prime minister was responding to a warning from the heads of two of the leading AI firms about the existential threat posed by advanced artificial intelligence.

DeepMind and OpenAI chief executives Demis Hassabis and Sam Altman pledged their support to a short statement published by the Centre for AI Safety, which claimed that regulators and lawmakers should take the “severe risks” more seriously.

“Mitigating the risk of extinction from AI should be a global priority alongside other societal-scale risks such as pandemics and nuclear war,” the statement read.

Tory minister defends 2026 timeframe for inquiry

12:30 , Matt Mathers

The Covid-19 Inquiry announced yesterday that the final hearings on the public inquiry won’t take place until the summer of 2026. It means ministers won’t face questions about care home deaths until after the general election.

Work and pensions secretary Mel Stride defended the time the inquiry will take, saying it was a “massive task”, Adam Forrest reports.

He told LBC: “I think it’s right that we have a really thorough and detailed examination of the big questions that there are to ask about both the pandemic and the government’s response to it.”

Mr Stride added: “It is a massive task … there’s a huge volume of information that will have to be gone through, so these things do take time.”

Lobbyists call for action on transparency as Labour plans ban for ex-ministers

12:15 , Matt Mathers

Labour’s plans to ban ex-ministers from lobbying the government for five years after leaving office are "encouraging" but need to go further, lobbyists have said.

Along with the lobbying ban, the party is considering a five-point plan that would see former ministers fined for breaking lobbying rules and a new Integrity and Ethics Commission with the power to enforce standards across public life.

Alastair McCapra, CEO of the lobbyists’ trade association the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR), welcomed the plans but urged Labour to do more.

He said: "It is encouraging to see the Labour Party addressing the issue of lobbying that has tarnished our politics for so long.

"Their proposed five-point plan and Integrity and Ethics Commission is a huge step in the right direction and rightly focuses immediate concerns on the actions of those within Parliament and those who have recently left."

Minister caught reading from ‘long list of notes’ in interview

12:00 , Matt Mathers

A minister was cut off mid-flow for “reading from a long list of notes” in an interview with the BBC, Archie Mitchell reports.

Work and pensions secretary Mel Stride was reeling off a slew of support measures put in place by the government, including cost of living payments, a living wage in crease and the energy price guarantee.

After ploughing through five announcements, Today host Martha Kearney interrupted.

“Okay, yes, I can see you are reading from a long list and we may not have time for you to go through all of it,” she said.

You can watch a clip from the minister’s interview below:

Refusal to hand over Boris WhatsApps ‘nonsense’, says senior Tory

11:37 , Matt Mathers

Senior Tory MP Caroline Nokes said the “reluctance” by Rishi Sunak’s government to provide the Boris Johnson’s WhatsApps and notebooks the Covid inquiry “seems a nonsense”, Adam Forrest reports.

The chair of the equalities committee said it was important for the public inquiry to examine as much evidence as possible.

Ms Nokes told TalkTV that Covid inquiry chairwoman Lady Hallett “doesn’t look like a woman who’s about to roll over … probably rightly so”. She said would be “less pain for the government if they hand [the material] over quickly”

Sunak being ‘really slippery’ over Covid messages, says Labour

11:35 , Matt Mathers

Labour’s shadow health secretary Wes Streeting has said Rishi Sunak looks “really slippery” over the refusal to hand over requested files to the Covid inquiry, Adam Forrest reports.

Mr Streeting told Sky News:“I think the prime minister looks really slippery.”

“He says he wants the government to cooperate with the inquiry but the government has been withholding information the inquiry has asked for.”

The Labour frontbencher added: “One minute the government says the messages they have are immaterial; the next minute they’re saying they don’t exist. Which is it?”

Ministers to re-evaluate deposit return after glass ban ‘sabotage’ - Slater

11:08 , Matt Mathers

The Scottish government needs to “quickly re-evaluate” its planned deposit return scheme (DRS) to see if it can still go ahead in the face of Westminster attempts to “sabotage” it, the minister responsible for it has said.

Scottish circular economy minister Lorna Slater claimed the UK government’s forced removal of glass bottles from the scheme north of the border is a “real roadblock” to it.

Speaking on BBC Radio Scotland’s Good Morning Scotland programme on Wednesday, she said: “We’ve hit a real roadblock with the UK Government, at this very late hour, changing their minds and saying we can’t have glass in the system when businesses all over Scotland have put in already the investment to having glass in the system.

“We now need to quickly re-evaluate, talk to all the businesses in Scotland who have made this investment and figure out how we go forward from here.”

Britain’s future is outside the EU - Starmer

10:43 , Matt Mathers

Britain’s future is outside the EU, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has said, as he promised to make Brexit work.

Writing in the Daily Express newspaper, Sir Keir - who campaigned for Remain in the 2016 referendum - also said he would not be seeking a return to freedom of movement.

"If we are to make Brexit work, we need a government with the vision and the focus to deliver it," he wrote.

"As Rishi Sunak heads off to meet with Emmanuel Macron on Thursday, there are no signs that he or his Government have any proper plan to deliver that better future for our country.

"Britain’s future is outside the EU. Not in the single market, not in the customs union, not with a return to freedom of movement. Those arguments are in the past, where they belong."

Sir Keir said that the current deal between London and Brussels is "paper-thin", arguing that it had "stifled Britain’s potential and hugely weighted trade terms towards the EU".

"We need to act now. New border controls coming in at the end of the year will further restrict trade, damaging businesses and households.

"There is a deal to be done that makes good on the British people’s desire to maintain Britain’s high food and animal welfare standards and prevent the burden of bureaucratic red tape. It could save our importers hundreds of millions of pounds a year.

"Whether it is working with European neighbours to tackle criminal gangs and stop dangerous boat crossings, or driving down the price of food for hard-pressed British families, there is huge potential for change.

"That’s why we should be optimistic."

Cabinet Office worried about ‘reputational issues'

10:02 , Matt Mathers

Cabinet Office officials are worried about “reputational issues” from Boris Johnson’s WhatsApp messages, a former adviser to the ex-PM has said.

Alex Crowley spoke to Sky News about the government’s handling of a request by the Covid inquiry for Mr Johnson’s WhatsApp exchanges.

Watch part of his interview below:

Switch banks if you’re getting poor interest rate - minister

09:37 , Matt Mathers

People who feel they are getting “very poor” interest on their savings from their bank should “shop around and find one that will pay a better rate”, Mel Stride has said.

The work and pensions secretary was asked by Kay Burley on Sky News what the government should do about banks who are not offering competitive levels of interest rates for savers.

Mr Stride, who chaired the Treasury select committee for three years, said: “I think, broadly speaking, the banking and financial services sector is a relatively efficient and highly competitive marketplace.

“So you would expect as one particular bank starts changing rates others to follow, but it is sticky, and of course, government, the business department and Treasury and others are often involved in discussions with banks about exactly those kinds of things.”

He stressed it is a “free market”, before adding: “My advice generally would be if you feel you’re getting a very poor rate with one particular institution is shop around and find one that will pay a better rate, and there are those out there.”

Dale Vince ‘perfectly legitimate person’ to take donations from - Labour

09:00 , Matt Mathers

Dale Vince is a "perfectly legitimate person" to take money from and his donations do not affect Labour’s views on Just Stop Oil, the shadow international trade secretary has said.

Nick Thomas-Symonds told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: "We have been extremely clear on our views on Just Stop Oil.

"Indeed, Keir Starmer has said of them ‘just go home’ because they are not actually promoting the cause of tackling climate change.

"What they are doing is entirely counterproductive and the only debate it’s provoking is about our public order laws."

Mr Thomas-Symonds said Mr Vince, a green energy entrepreneur and chairman of League Two football club Forest Green Rovers, is a "successful businessman here in the UK",adding: "He’s a perfectly legitimate person to take money from.

"If he wishes to give money to other causes that’s up to him but it can hardly be said that this affects our views as a Labour Party on Just Stop Oil."

Government will be ‘absolutely transparent and candid’ over Johnson WhatApps

08:28 , Matt Mathers

The government intends to continue being “absolutely transparent and candid” amid calls for the Cabinet Office to hand over Boris Johnson’s WhatsApp messages to the Covid inquiry, a minister said.

Mel Stride, the work and pensions secretary, spoke to Sky News earlier this morning after the government was forced to deny allegations of a cover-up when the former PM said he was happy for the messages to be handed over - only for the Cabinet Office to say it didn’t have them.

More comments from Mr Stride below:

Childcare payments will increase size of labour force - minister

08:12 , Matt Mathers

A boost to childcare payments for families on universal credit will lead to a "greater participation in the labour force", the work and pensions secretary has said.

Mel Stride told Kay Burley on Sky News: "What we are doing as of the end of next month is substantially increasing the support that we are providing for those who are taking on childcare who are in work and receiving universal credit.

"So that’s a 47% increase in the amount that people can claim, so a huge increase there.

"The second thing we are doing is one of the things that’s prevented people (from) taking on childcare in the past has been the fact that they are having to find the money upfront, so we are removing that problem by helping them with those childcare costs, so this is a very major step.

"And of course, what this will lead to in time is a greater participation in the labour force.

"And so what we want is, we want more people in work so that we can ease those tight labour markets, those businesses that are really struggling to find the right people.

"And childcare is absolutely key to that."

The government has announced that the amount of childcare for which families on benefits can claim back will increase by hundreds of pounds from the end of June under government plans to tackle inactivity and help grow the economy.

The plans were first outlined in the Budget.

Read more here:

More help with childcare costs for families on Universal Credit from end of June

Boris Johnson’s WhatsApp row descends into farce as senior Tories call for Sunak to end dispute

07:35 , Matt Mathers

An extraordinary row over Boris Johnson’s WhatsApps risked descending into farce as the former prime minister said he was happy for his messages to be given to the Covid inquiry – only for the government to say it did not have them.

Downing Street was forced to deny allegations of a cover-up as it stuck by its stance that it should not be forced to release “irrelevant” material concerning the private lives of government staff.

The head of the inquiry has already threatened possible criminal sanctions if the Cabinet Office fails to disclose Mr Johnson’s diary entries and WhatsApp messages.

Kate Devlin and Archie Mitchell report:

Boris WhatsApp row descends into farce as senior Tories call for Sunak to end dispute

UK and Australia/New Zealand trade deals come into force

07:19 , Matt Mathers

The UK’s trade deals with Australia and New Zealand came into force at midnight, with special shipments of British goods such as signed Beano comics among the first to be sent under the new arrangements.

The agreements are the first trade deals negotiated post-Brexit to enter into force and come after the UK, Australia and New Zealand completed their domestic ratification processes.

Under the deals’ terms, from Wednesday tariffs on all UK goods exports to Australia and New Zealand will be removed, access to these markets for services unlocked and red tape slashed for digital trade and work visas.

Martina Bet reports:

UK’s first post-Brexit trade deals with Australia and New Zealand now in place

07:17 , Matt Mathers

Good morning and welcome to the Independent’s rolling politics coverage.

We’ll be bringing you the latest developments in the Boris Johnson Covid inquiry WhatsApp row and other stories from Westminster and elsewhere.

Stay tuned for updates.

Tuesday 30 May 2023 19:40 , Laura Sharman

We’re pausing our live coverage for this evening.

We’ll bring you the latest developments as we get them.

Government hands over 55,000 documents in Covid inquiry

Tuesday 30 May 2023 19:37 , Laura Sharman

The Cabinet Office has providing a trove of 55,000 documents to the Covid inquiry and insisted it is “fully committed” to its obligations.

A spokesperson for the ministerial department said: “We are fully committed to our obligations to the Covid-19 Inquiry.

“As such, the Cabinet Office alone has already provided upwards of 55,000 documents, 24 personal witness statements, eight corporate statements and extensive time and effort has gone into assisting the inquiry fulsomely over the last 11 months.”

Cabinet Office says Covid inquiry “does not have the power” to access Johnson’s WhatsApp

Tuesday 30 May 2023 19:20 , Laura Sharman

The Cabinet Office has weighed in on the request for Boris Johnson’s WhatsApp messages and notebooks to be submitted to the Covid inquiry.

A spokesperson for the Cabinet Office said: “We are firmly of the view that the inquiry does not have the power to request unambiguously irrelevant information that is beyond the scope of this investigation.

“This includes the WhatsApp messages of Government employees’ which are not about work but instead are entirely personal and relate to their private lives.”

“Do you trust Boris Johnson?” The tough questions raised by the Covid inquiry so far

Tuesday 30 May 2023 18:49 , Laura Sharman

Covid inquiry chair Baroness Hallett has requested Boris Johnson and other cabinet members’ WhatsApp messages be submitted to her inquiry in their entirety.

But the former prime minister is among several people who do not want to comply.

Our political sketch writer Tom Peck says the debate poses the question - do you trust Boris Johnson?

It also raises the concern of “who would ever be a politician ever again if all of your private messages are just going to be sent to a public inquiry and then published, presumably to great embarrassment?” he writes.

Read more on why the Covid inquiry has a fiendishly tough question on its hands.

Boris Johnson: “There’s some cover-up going on” says former Civil Service chief

Tuesday 30 May 2023 18:17 , Laura Sharman

Lord Kerslake, former head of the Civil Service, passed comment on the Covid-19 inquiry for the Government to hand over Boris Johnson’s unredacted WhatsApp messages and notebooks.

“There’s some cover-up going on here to save embarrassment of ministers,” he said.

“But there’s also the Cabinet Office fighting for a principle of confidentiality.”

Responding to his comments, Rishi Sunkak’s official spokesperson said: “We want to learn the lessons about the actions of the state during the pandemic, we want that to be done rigorously and candidly.”

Sunak to visit Washington DC for talks with Joe Biden

Tuesday 30 May 2023 17:15 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Rishi Sunak will travel to Washington next week for talks with Joe Biden.

The two leaders are expected to discuss trade issues – although the idea of a full-blown deal has fallen by the wayside since the US President replaced Donald Trump in the White House – as well as the war in Ukraine.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “The visit will be an opportunity to build on discussions the Prime Minister and President Biden have had in recent months about enhancing the level of co-operation and co-ordination between the UK and US on the economic challenges that will define our future, including securing our supply chains and transitioning to zero-carbon economies.

“It will also be an opportunity to discuss issues including sustaining our support for Ukraine as we build on the success of our G7 summit in the run-up to the Nato summit in July.”

Sunak to visit Washington DC for talks with Joe Biden

Boris Johnson’s private life is in the hands of Baroness Hallett, now

Tuesday 30 May 2023 16:45 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

You shouldn’t be surprised that Boris Johnson is so anxious to keep his activities during the pandemic secret, Sean O’Grady writes.

I mean, I’m not saying he has anything to hide exactly, because that would be grossly unfair; but we know what he’s like. The extent of his efforts to get his old colleagues in government to withhold diaries, documents and WhatsApp messages from the Covid inquiry is striking – up to and including a threat to sue His Majesty’s Government (with the hard-pressed British taxpayer footing the bills for both sides).

So far, the Cabinet Office seem to be willing to try and help the old monster, but they don’t have a leg to stand on, legally speaking.

Why is this the case? Ironically, it’s because Boris Johnson, when still PM, granted the inquiry sweeping statutory powers to call for evidence of all kinds; gave the inquiry wide terms of reference, as demanded by the public; and appointed a formidable lawyer, the senior judge Baroness (Heather) Hallett to head it.

Boris Johnson’s private life is in the hands of Baroness Hallett, now | Sean O’Grady

What happens if the government doesn’t hand over Boris Johnson’s WhatsApps?

Tuesday 30 May 2023 16:15 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

The government looks set for unprecedented legal battle with officials in charge of the Covid public inquiry over the release of unredacted WhatsApp messages and diaries belonging to Boris Johnson.

In a showdown over the ex-PM’s communications with 40 top officials, the Cabinet Office has until 4pm on Thursday to respond to the demand from Lady Hallett’s public inquiry into the Covid crisis.

The deadline has been extended from Tuesday, after officials claimed they do have all the documents demanded. The inquiry was told the Cabinet Office “does not have in its possession either Mr Johnson’s WhatsApp messages or Mr Johnson’s notebooks”.

What happens if the government doesn’t hand over Boris Johnson’s WhatsApps?

Sunak and Johnson not scheduled to meet this week

Tuesday 30 May 2023 15:49 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Rishi Sunak and Boris Johnson are not scheduled to meet this week despite suggestions they would hold clear-the-air talks to tackle a series of thorny issues.

It was understood on Tuesday there had been initial discussions about holding a telephone call but this is now not scheduled to go ahead.

The two leading Conservatives would have a lot more to discuss than the row over the disclosure of Mr Johnson’s WhatsApp messages and notebooks to the Covid-19 Inquiry.

The meeting had been billed by the former prime minister’s allies in the Sunday Times as an opportunity to discuss his honours list, which has attracted wide-ranging criticism.

Several current Tory MPs are believed to have been listed - which, if confirmed, would force the Conservatives to fight risky by-elections at a time of dire polling.

Early electoral battles could be held in the seats of former culture secretary Nadine Dorries, Nigel Adams, another close ally of Mr Johnson’s, and Alok Sharma, who was Cop26 president.

There have also been renewed allegations of cronyism, with loyal aides and even his father Stanley Johnson reported to be put forward for honours.

Handing over unredacted messages could stop ‘honest’ advice, says ex-Tory leader

Tuesday 30 May 2023 15:22 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Former Tory leader William Hague warned that handing over unredacted messages could damage government responses to future crises.

Lord Hague told Times Radio: “I think that the problem here is the precedent set for the future. When you are in a crisis, and I have been in a few, what you most need is people who will give you honest, uninhibited advice, who will say ‘actually what my boss told you just now is wrong’ or ‘actually I have a completely different view to what everybody just said in that meeting’.

“A lot of that takes place on WhatsApp now and I think that if those messages are all then to be given to an inquiry, people are, they are going to be less likely to give that honest advice in the future.”

WhatsApp row with Covid Inquiry shows government has ‘much to hide,’ Labour says

Tuesday 30 May 2023 15:00 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Labour said legal wrangling over Mr Johnson’s WhatsApp messages showed the government has “much to hide”.

And the party called for Lady Hallett to be allowed to decide “what is and is not relevant” to the inquiry.

Deputy leader Angela Rayner said it appeared “vital evidence has gone missing” and called for it to “be found and handed over as requested”.

Ms Rayner said: “The fact the Covid Inquiry has invoked legal powers to compel the handover of crucial documents in the face of legal battles and delaying tactics shows this is a Government with much to hide.

“It now appears that vital evidence has gone missing. It must be found and handed over as requested if the whiff of a cover-up is to be avoided and bereaved families are to get the answers they deserve.

“It is for the Covid Inquiry itself rather than Conservative ministers to decide what is and is not relevant material for its investigation, and this interference only serves to undermine the inquiry’s crucial job of getting to the truth.

“While other countries across the world have already finalised their inquiries into the pandemic, it is essential that UK Government ministers now comply with their obligations so the public can get to the truth and those responsible can be held to account.”

Covid inquiry chair ‘can be trusted’ with Boris material, says Levenson

Tuesday 30 May 2023 14:45 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

There is “absolutely no difficulty” about trusting the Covid inquiry to redact material or not to publish material that is irrelevant, former senior judge Sir Brian Leveson has said.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s The World At One programme, Sir Brian, who chaired the landmark inquiry into the British press, said: “The Inquiries Act invests great power in the chair to pursue the issues raised by the terms of reference, as he or she thinks appropriate.”

He added: “There is absolutely no difficulty about trusting the inquiry to redact material, not to publish material that is irrelevant. It has no interest in doing so but to confine itself to what is relevant to the terms of reference.”

“Baroness Hallett, I have no doubt, can be trusted and I have equally no doubt that she has faith in those working for the inquiry to ensure that appropriate confidentiality is maintained.”

On the prospect of the government seeking a judicial review to avoid handing over the material, the retired judge said it would have to happen “quite quickly”.

He noted section 38 of the Act requires “that an application for judicial review has to be made very quickly”, adding: “Normally, one has three months to bring a decision, but the act limits that to 14 days after the day on which the relevant decision was known. That time can be extended by the court but if something is going to happen in this space, it’ll happen quite quickly.”

Government using ‘dog ate my homework excuse,’ Lib Dems say

Tuesday 30 May 2023 14:24 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

The Liberal Democrats accused the government of using a “dog ate my homework” excuse after the Cabinet Office claimed it does not have copies of Boris Johnson’s WhatsApp messages.

Deputy leader Daisy Cooper said: “This dog ate my homework type excuse from the government simply doesn’t stand up to scrutiny.

“For the Cabinet Office to simultaneously refuse to disclose Boris Johnson’s messages because they were irrelevant to the inquiry, whilst claiming not to even have them, will raise suspicions of another Conservative cover up.

“Rishi Sunak is too weak to stand up to Johnson and make him hand over this evidence, while bereaved families are being left aghast.

“The public has waited long enough already to get the truth. The inquiry’s work mustn’t be delayed any longer because of endless chaos in the Conservative Party.”

Ministers accused of ‘cover up’ over refusal to hand over Boris Johnson’s WhatsApps

Tuesday 30 May 2023 14:00 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Ministers are engaged in a “cover up” by refusing to hand Boris Johnson’s unredacted messages and diaries to the Covid enquiry, the former head of the civil service has said.

Lord Kerslake said officials are attempting to “save ministers embarrassment” by not handing over the documents.

The Cabinet Office has until 4pm on Tuesday to respond to inquiry chair Lady Hallett’s request for messages and diaries belonging to Mr Johnson.

If ministers block the request to turn over official records, which show what was happening at the heart of government during the pandemic, the department faces being dragged to court.

Downing Street denies ‘cover up’ over refusal to hand over Boris Johnson’s WhatsApps

Former treasury minister says WhatsApp use for government business shows ‘sloppiness'

Tuesday 30 May 2023 13:40 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Former treasury minister John Redwood said ministers using WhatsApp to conduct government business showed “a sort of sloppiness”.

Mr Redwood added that he hoped the row over what information the government disclosed does not detract “from the really serious purposes of this inquiry”.

He told GB News: “There has to be an agreement, the public will want reassurance that the inquiry can have all relevant information. And the Cabinet Office and the ministers and senior officials involved will obviously want to make sure that details of their private lives or comments that aren’t really relevant to the inquiry are protected from wider public view.

“One of the problems with the WhatsApp generation is that they seem to blur private observations, bits of their private life and their public duties, so there may well be things on their WhatsApp strand that are relevant to the inquiry.

“But there would also be things that people wouldn’t normally want to publish more widely. So I think there is a sort of sloppiness in the way that some things were handled.”

He added: “I hope it doesn’t detract from the really serious purposes of this inquiry. Which should be to explore how prepared was the NHS for this kind of thing? Could you be properly prepared for it?

“Did they respond quickly when they saw what was happening? How good was the science, how much diversity of thought was there in the science? Did ministers have the right information coming to them to make those very difficult decisions?

ICYMI: The woman inside Downing Street who Boris fired gives her verdict on the ex-PM

Tuesday 30 May 2023 13:20 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

The former deputy chief of staff to Boris Johnson has poured fuel on the latest Partygate allegations engulfing the former prime minister by saying that the scandal risks being the “last nail in the coffin” of his political career.

Cleo Watson, who says she was like a “nanny” to the former PM during the Covid lockdown, also gave him just five out of 10 for morality in her first television interview to launch her new book Whips, a raunchy bonkbuster set in Westminster.

She warned that “dozens” more people could face investigations if the police decide to launch a fresh inquiry into alleged Covid breaches at Chequers.

Nicknamed “the Gazelle” for her elegant 6ft stature, Ms Watson worked alongside Mr Johnson’s former chief adviser Dominic Cummings – and, like her colleague, she was fired by Mr Johnson.

The woman inside Downing Street who Boris fired gives her verdict on the ex-PM

Nothing to stop Boris handing over personal evidence, No 10 suggests

Tuesday 30 May 2023 13:17 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

No 10 has suggested there is nothing to stop Boris Johnson handing his personal evidence directly to the Covid-19 inquiry.

Rishi Sunak’s official spokesman said: “It is down to individuals to decide what personal information they are able to hand over, but there is a process for the government-owned material.”

“There’s a distinction between government-owned material, that would need to be disclosed by the government, if it was their own personal information, then obviously they are able to make a judgment.”

Suggesting the Cabinet Office had assessed Mr Johnson’s messages without keeping them – keeping only those deemed to be relevant enough to be stored and therefore “government owned”.

The PM’s official spokesman said: “We do not permanently store or record every WhatsApp.”

“The substantive and relative content, including decision making, is copied across to the official record in appropriate format for preservation. We wouldn’t, as is standard, retain irrelevant material. There’s no requirement to record every single communication for the public record.”

Talks between Rishi Sunak and Boris now off

Tuesday 30 May 2023 12:59 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Rishi Sunak and Boris Johnson are not scheduled to meet this week after suggestions they would hold clear-the-air talks amid a series row over the Covid-19 inquiry and Covid diary details handed to the police.

It is understood there had been initial discussions about holding a telephone call, but this is not scheduled to go ahead as it stands.

No 10 denies Covid message ‘cover up’

Tuesday 30 May 2023 12:46 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

No 10 has denied the row over the disclosure of Boris Johnson’s WhatsApp messages and notebooks to the Covid inquiry is a “cover-up”.

Responding to criticism from former head of the civil service Lord Kerslake, and asked whether there was a “cover up”, Rishi Sunkak’s official spokesman said: “No. We want to learn the lessons about the actions of the state during the pandemic, we want that to be done rigorously and candidly.”

No 10 has said there is no requirement to retain every WhatsApp message after the Cabinet Office told the inquiry it does not hold all of the messages requested surrounding Mr Johnson.

Suggesting the Cabinet Office had assessed Mr Johnson’s messages without keeping them, the PM’s official spokesman said: “We do not permanently store or record every WhatsApp.”

“The substantive and relative content, including decision making, is copied across to the official record in appropriate format for preservation. We wouldn’t, as is standard, retain irrelevant material. There’s no requirement to record every single communication for the public record.”

No 10 denies row over WhatsApp messages is a ‘cover-up'

Tuesday 30 May 2023 12:26 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Downing Street has denied the row over the disclosure of Boris Johnson’s WhatsApp messages and notebooks to the Covid-19 inquiry is a cover-up to save ministers’ blushes.

Responding to criticism from former head of the Civil Service Lord Kerslake, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “No.

“We want to learn the lessons about the actions of the state during the pandemic, we want that to be done rigorously and candidly.”

Matt Hancock has given Covid Inquiry full access to WhatsApps

Tuesday 30 May 2023 12:15 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

A spokesman for Matt Hancock re-confirmed that the former health secretary has given the inquiry full access to his WhatsApps, text messages and emails.

“Matt has made all his records and materials available to the inquiry without making any redactions for relevance.

“Matt feels very strongly that full transparency is vital so all lessons can be learned,” the spokesman added.

Mr Hancock offered the inquiry his materials directly, but was asked to submit them through the Government Legal Department.

He has since sent his materials to the department without redactions.It is understood Mr Hancock wants everyone to submit all of their WhatsApps, diary entries and other messages to the inquiry to ensure the right lessons are learned from the government’s handling of the pandemic.

“He thinks everyone should give them all up,” a friend said, adding that Mr Hancock is “all about transparency”.

Covid Inquiry demands ‘witness statement’ if Boris deadline not met

Tuesday 30 May 2023 11:55 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

The Covid-19 Inquiry has said that if the Cabinet Office still maintains its position that it does not hold Boris Johnson’s material when the 4pm on Thursday deadline arrives, it must provide in substitute a “witness statement” from a senior civil servant to that effect.

The inquiry said the statement must include a “chronology of correspondence with Mr Johnson, or his office, regarding the identification of potentially relevant WhatsApp materials held by him”.

The Cabinet Office statement must also explain whether the potentially relevant messages held by Mr Johnson are on a personal, or Cabinet Office or No 10 mobile phone.

What is the Covid Inquiry asking for?

Tuesday 30 May 2023 11:41 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

According to the notice seeking the unredacted messages, the inquiry is requesting conversations between Mr Johnson and a host of government figures, civil servants and officials.

The list includes England’s chief medical officer Professor Sir Chris Whitty, as well as then-chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance.

Messages with then-foreign secretary Liz Truss and then-health secretary Matt Hancock are also requested, as well as with former top aide Dominic Cummings and then-chancellor Rishi Sunak.

The inquiry had also asked for “copies of the 24 notebooks containing contemporaneous notes made by the former prime minister” in “clean unredacted form, save only for any redactions applied for reasons of national security sensitivity”.

Sunak says government still ‘considering’ its response to Covid Inquiry demand

Tuesday 30 May 2023 11:25 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Rishi Sunak said the government was still considering its response to the demand to hand over Boris Johnson’s documents to the Covid-19 public inquiry.

The prime minister told broadcasters in Kent: “I think it’s really important that we learn the lessons of Covid and that’s why the inquiry was established.

“We want to make sure that whatever lessons there are to be learned are learned and we do that in a spirit of transparency and candour.”

He added: “With regard to the specific question at the moment, the government is carefully considering its position but it is confident in the approach that it’s taking.”

Boris Johnson insists he does not object to disclosing evidence

Tuesday 30 May 2023 11:05 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Boris Johnson has insisted he does not object to disclosing his evidence to the Covid-19 inquiry.

A spokesman for the former prime minister said: “Mr Johnson has no objection to disclosing material to the inquiry. He has done so and will continue to do so.

“The decision to challenge the inquiry’s position on redactions is for the Cabinet Office.”

Covid-19 inquiry extends deadline for government to hand over Boris Johnson’s WhatsApps

Tuesday 30 May 2023 10:49 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

The Covid-19 inquiry rejected a request to extend the deadline to hand over Boris Johnson’s WhatsApp messages and notebooks until June 5 but agreed to a short extension to 4pm on Thursday.

A notice from inquiry read: “First, an extension was requested for compliance with the ruling until Monday June 5 2023.

“Second, the inquiry was informed that the Cabinet Office does not have in its possession either Mr Johnson’s WhatsApp messages or Mr Johnson’s notebooks, as sought in the original section 21 Notice.

“The chair rejected the request for an extension of time to June 5 2023, but granted a short extension to 4pm on Thursday June 1 2023.”

Update

Tuesday 30 May 2023 10:44 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

The Covid-19 inquiry has said it has been told the Cabinet Office does not have Boris Johnson’s WhatsApp messages or notebooks, as the deadline to hand over the evidence was extended until Thursday afternoon.

Letters to the editor: Boris Johnson is a liar and a ‘say anything’ fantasist. Where are the 40 new hospitals – and where is he?

Tuesday 30 May 2023 10:40 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Our readers share their views. Please send your letters to letters@independent.co.uk

Steve Barclay’s interview with Laura Kuenssberg confirmed – as if any confirmation were needed – that Boris Johnson, the architect of the fictitious Tory manifesto of the 2019 election that gave these greedy and anti-social people a massive parliamentary majority, is an unconscionable liar and a “say anything” fantasist. Where are the 40 new hospitals and where is he? Not doing the job of an MP the public pays him for.

He is bunking off on multiple holidays or lucrative lecture tours neglecting both parliament and his constituents with no such negligence in collecting the benefit of a publicly funded legal defence, his pay cheque or a future handsome pension. He also nurtures the traditional expectation of appointing cronies of similar merit to top up the already overstocked and unweildy house of lords with more Tory icing; a convention and an institution that should, like himself, be consigned to history.

Letters: Boris Johnson is a liar and a ‘say anything’ fantasist

The government ‘doesn’t have a leg to stand on’ - Labour’s Lord Falconer

Tuesday 30 May 2023 10:25 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Labour’s Lord Falconer has said he does not think “the government has a leg to stand on” as they face a 4pm deadline to hand over unredacted WhatsaApp messages.

Watch the full clip of his interview here:

What is happening with the government and the Covid Inquiry?

Tuesday 30 May 2023 10:08 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

The government is bracing for a showdown with the chair of the official inquiry into its handling of Covid, Lady Hallett.

The former judge has ordered the Cabinet Office to hand over unredacted WhatsApp messages and diaries of Boris Johnson from his time as prime minister.

Ministers are considering rejecting the proposal, arguing some messages and diary entries are “unambiguously irrelevant” to the inquiry.

But Lady Hallett has said it will be up to the inquiry to decide whether material is relevant or not.

The inquiry has requested unredacted messages between Mr Johnson and a host of government figures, civil servants and officials.

It has also asked for “copies of the 24 notebooks containing contemporaneous notes made by the former prime minister” in “clean unredacted form, save only for any redactions applied for reasons of national security sensitivity”.

Lady Hallett has given the Cabinet Office until 4.00pm today to comply with the request or it faces being dragged to court by the inquiry.

It is thought no decision has yet been made by the Cabinet Office about whether to hand over the materials.

‘Cover-up’ to ‘save embarassment of ministers’ - former head of civil service

Tuesday 30 May 2023 09:56 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Former head of the civil service Lord Kerslake said there appears to be a “cover-up” as ministers seem set to block the release of unredacted messages to the Covid-19 inquiry.

The Cabinet Office has until 4pm to respond to inquiry chair Lady Hallett’s requests for messages and diaries belonging to Boris Johnson.

Lord Kerslake told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “There’s some cover-up going on here to save embarrassment of ministers. But there’s also the Cabinet Office fighting for a principle of confidentiality.

“I have to say I think they’re misguided on this situation. I actually think it would set a helpful precedent if Lady Hallett prevailed in this fight about the information.

“We are in a bit of a mess at the moment, we don’t really know whether WhatsApp’s been used as a decision-making tool or, indeed, as just an information-sharing device.

“We’ve got the extraordinary situation where Matt Hancock handed over a whole sheath of WhatsApp messages to a journalist without any apparent sanction under the official secrets act, surely this case for seeing the documents in one of our most important inquiries, probably since Iraq, must be much more compelling than that.”

Johnson ‘obviously worried’ about WhatsApp messages

Tuesday 30 May 2023 09:44 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Boris Johnson is “obviously worried” about the contents of his WhatsApp messages during his handling of Covid-19, a leading political historian has claimed.

Sir Anthony Seldon, who has written studies of every prime minister from John Major to Boris Johnson, said he “has a lot to be worried about”.

The historian and headteacher of Epsom College told Sky News: “He is obviously worried, isn’t he?

“Which is sensible, because he has a lot to be worried about. He did not run the country well. He was, I think without any question, the worst prime minister of the last 100 years, and he was in charge at the time of the worst epidemic for 100 years.

“The public, many of whom suffered, many of whom lost people, have the absolute right to know what happened. There’s no precedent here. And if the judge Baroness Hallett, is calling for it, if it is blocked, it will just lead to endless interminable protests about ‘let’s get to the truth at last’.

“So let’s get to the truth. Give her, give the judiciary what they want, and let’s get to the bottom of it. And I do not think it is going to be pretty, which is exactly why they are trying to stop it.”

Ministers accused of ‘cover up’ over refusal to hand over Boris Johnson’s WhatsApps

Tuesday 30 May 2023 09:37 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Ministers are engaged in a “cover up” by refusing to hand Boris Johnson’s unredacted messages and diaries to the Covid enquiry, the former head of the civil service has said.

Lord Kerslake said officials are attempting to “save ministers embarrassment” by not handing over the documents.

The Cabinet Office has until 4pm on Tuesday to respond to inquiry chair Lady Hallett’s request for messages and diaries belonging to Mr Johnson.

If ministers block the request to turn over official records, which show what was happening at the heart of government during the pandemic, the department faces being dragged to court.

The government has so far refused to release some material, claiming it is “unambiguously irrelevant” to the inquiry. But Lady Hallett has argued she should be able to decide whether materials are relevant or not.

Politics writer Archie Mitchell has more:

Ministers accused of ‘cover up’ over refusal to hand over Boris Johnson’s WhatsApps

Deadline looms to release Boris Johnson messages in Whitehall Covid inquiry clash

Tuesday 30 May 2023 09:35 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

The government has just a few hours to hand over Boris Johnson’s messages and diaries before it faces being dragged to court by its own Covid-19 inquiry.

Ministers have until 4pm on Tuesday to respond to a demand by the inquiry to turn over the official records showing what was going on in government during the pandemic.

The government has so far refused to release some material, claiming it is “unambiguously irrelevant” to the inquiry – but Baroness Hallett, who is leading the probe, says she needs to see it.

Mr Johnson is reported to have cited national security and argued that releasing his diaries would breach government rules on disclosure.

But the reluctance to release the material comes amid further allegations against the ex-PM regarding breaches of lockdown, apparently gleaned from an examination of the diaries.

Our policy correspondent Jon Stone reports:

Deadline looms to release Boris messages in Whitehall inquiry clash

Welcome...

Tuesday 30 May 2023 09:34 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

... to our liveblog where we will keep you updated with the latest as the clock ticks for the government to hand over Boris Johnson’s Whatsapp messages and diaries to the Covid-19 enquiry. Stay tuned!