Covid inquiry demands Tory ministers hand over WhatsApp messages

Conservative ministers and top civil servants will have to hand over WhatsApp messages to the Covid inquiry, the chairman of the official probe has said.

Baroness Hallett made clear that she would use powers to demand access to messages from cabinet ministers and all senior officials involved in the pandemic response.

It follows the release of Matt Hancock’s WhatsApp messages with Boris Johnson, cabinet secretary Simon Case and others in government following a leak by the co-author of his book, Isabel Oakeshott.

Mr Hancock has already handed over all relevant messages and emails to the public inquiry, insisting that is the proper forum to look at actions during the crisis.

The official public inquiry into the UK’s handling of the Covid pandemic was announced by Mr Johnson almost two years ago – but full public hearings have yet to begin.

Responding to the KC representing bereaved families, Baroness Hallett said: “What I can do is assure the bereaved that this inquiry is in the process of obtaining all relevant WhatsApp messages from all relevant groups, not just those from Mr Hancock.”

“And therefore this inquiry will conduct a full and thorough investigation into and analysis of what the messages mean for the public of the United Kingdom.”

Baroness Hallett has the power to compel witnesses to hand over their communications, if necessary, under legislation governing public inquiries.

While Tory minister and top officials were aware their actions would be scrutinised, some appear to have assumed their WhatsApp and text messages would remain private.

Lord Bethell, the former junior minister, previously admitted that had deleted texts and WhatsApp messages – saying his phone had become “overloaded” during a High Court case over Covid testing contracts.

The decision emerged from a preliminary hearing into the first of three modules of the public inquiry. The £85m investigation will focus on “resilience and preparedness”, decision making and governance, and the pressure on the healthcare system.

Sifting through the deluge of once-private messages could lead to further delays to the public hearings scheduled to begin in June.

Ms Oakeshott was originally given the WhatApps material by Mr Hancock while they were collaborating on his memoir of his time as health secretary during the pandemic.

Mr Hancock has condemned the leak as a “massive betrayal” designed to support an “anti-lockdown agenda”, arguing that the selective release of messages gives only a “partial, biased account”.

The senior MP said that all the materials for his book have been made available to the official Covid inquiry, while Ms Oakeshott argued that the disclosures were in the public interest.