Boris Johnson – latest: Downing Street denies WhatsApp row with Covid Inquiry is a ‘cover-up’

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 requested whether or not there was a “cowl up”, Rishi Sunkak’s official spokesman mentioned: “No. We need to be taught the teachings concerning the actions of the state in the course of the pandemic, we wish that to be carried out rigorously and candidly.”

No 10 has mentioned there is no such thing as a requirement to retain each WhatsApp message after the Cupboard Workplace advised the inquiry it doesn’t maintain all the messages requested surrounding Mr Johnson.

Suggesting the Cupboard Workplace had assessed Mr Johnson’s messages with out maintaining them, the PM’s official spokesman mentioned: “We don’t completely retailer or document each WhatsApp.”

“The substantive and relative content material, together with resolution making, is copied throughout to the official document in acceptable format for preservation. We wouldn’t, as is normal, retain irrelevant materials. There’s no requirement to document each single communication for the general public document.”

Downing Avenue 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 avoid wasting ministers’ blushes.

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

“We need to be taught the teachings concerning the actions of the state in the course of the pandemic, we wish that to be carried out rigorously and candidly.”

A spokesman for Matt Hancock re-confirmed that the previous well being secretary has given the inquiry full entry to his WhatsApps, textual content messages and emails.

“Matt has made all his information and supplies obtainable to the inquiry with out making any redactions for relevance.

“Matt feels very strongly that full transparency is significant so all classes could be discovered,” the spokesman added.

Mr Hancock supplied the inquiry his supplies immediately, however was requested to submit them by means of the Authorities Authorized Division.

He has since despatched his supplies to the division with out redactions.It’s understood Mr Hancock desires everybody to submit all of their WhatsApps, diary entries and different messages to the inquiry to make sure the appropriate classes are discovered from the federal government’s dealing with of the pandemic.

“He thinks everybody ought to give all of them up,” a pal mentioned, including that Mr Hancock is “all about transparency”.

The Covid-19 Inquiry has mentioned that if the Cupboard Workplace nonetheless maintains its place that it doesn’t maintain Boris Johnson’s materials when the 4pm on Thursday deadline arrives, it should present in substitute a “witness assertion” from a senior civil servant to that impact.

The inquiry mentioned the assertion should embrace a “chronology of correspondence with Mr Johnson, or his workplace, relating to the identification of doubtless related WhatsApp supplies held by him”.

The Cupboard Workplace assertion should additionally clarify whether or not the doubtless related messages held by Mr Johnson are on a private, or Cupboard Workplace or No 10 cell phone.

Based on the discover looking for the unredacted messages, the inquiry is requesting conversations between Mr Johnson and a bunch of presidency figures, civil servants and officers.

The listing consists of England’s chief medical officer Professor Sir Chris Whitty, in addition to then-chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance.

Messages with then-foreign secretary Liz Truss and then-health secretary Matt Hancock are additionally requested, in addition to with former high aide Dominic Cummings and then-chancellor Rishi Sunak.

The inquiry had additionally requested for “copies of the 24 notebooks containing contemporaneous notes made by the previous prime minister” in “clear unredacted kind, save just for any redactions utilized for causes of nationwide safety sensitivity”.

Rishi Sunak mentioned the federal government was nonetheless contemplating its response to the demand handy over Boris Johnson’s paperwork to the Covid-19 public inquiry.

The prime minister advised broadcasters in Kent: “I feel it’s actually vital that we be taught the teachings of Covid and that’s why the inquiry was established.

“We need to ensure that no matter classes there are to be discovered are discovered and we try this in a spirit of transparency and candour.”

He added: “With regard to the particular query in the intervening time, the federal government is fastidiously contemplating its place however it’s assured within the strategy that it’s taking.”

Boris Johnson has insisted he doesn’t object to disclosing his proof to the Covid-19 inquiry.

A spokesman for the previous prime minister mentioned: “Mr Johnson has no objection to disclosing materials to the inquiry. He has carried out so and can proceed to take action.

“The choice to problem the inquiry’s place on redactions is for the Cupboard Workplace.”

The Covid-19 inquiry rejected a request to increase the deadline handy over Boris Johnson’s WhatsApp messages and notebooks till June 5 however agreed to a brief extension to 4pm on Thursday.

A discover from inquiry learn: “First, an extension was requested for compliance with the ruling till Monday June 5 2023.

“Second, the inquiry was knowledgeable that the Cupboard Workplace doesn’t have in its possession both Mr Johnson’s WhatsApp messages or Mr Johnson’s notebooks, as sought within the unique part 21 Discover.

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

The Covid-19 inquiry has mentioned it has been advised the Cupboard Workplace doesn’t have Boris Johnson’s WhatsApp messages or notebooks, because the deadline handy over the proof was prolonged till Thursday afternoon.

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Steve Barclay’s interview with Laura Kuenssberg confirmed – as if any affirmation had been wanted – that Boris Johnson, the architect of the fictional Tory manifesto of the 2019 election that gave these grasping and anti-social folks a large parliamentary majority, is an unconscionable liar and a “say something” fantasist. The place are the 40 new hospitals and the place is he? Not doing the job of an MP the general public pays him for.

He’s bunking off on a number of holidays or profitable lecture excursions neglecting each parliament and his constituents with no such negligence in accumulating the advantage of a publicly funded authorized defence, his pay cheque or a future good-looking pension. He additionally nurtures the standard expectation of appointing cronies of comparable benefit to high up the already overstocked and unweildy home of lords with extra Tory icing; a conference and an establishment that ought to, like himself, be consigned to historical past.