UK COVID Inquiry: Johnson Hands Over WhatsApp Messages

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Facts

  • On Friday, former British PM Boris Johnson said he had shared his unredacted WhatsApp messages directly with the COVID inquiry — chaired by Heather Hallett — bypassing the Cabinet Office, which is pursuing legal action to challenge the process.1
  • However, Johnson has reportedly only handed over a message archive dating to May 2021 or later and has yet to hand over messages showing discussions he had during the 2020 pandemic lockdowns.2
  • The former prime minister claims he couldn't share messages prior to April 2021 as they're on a different device he no longer uses due to security reasons after it emerged his mobile number had been publicly available online for 15 years.3
  • However, Johnson has reportedly requested the Cabinet Office to search the phone "for all relevant material" to be then passed on to the probe, as well as has handed over about 24 notebooks to the government to be given to Hallett.1
  • The government took legal action to avoid handing over Johnson's unredacted WhatsApp messages and notebooks to the Cabinet Office, arguing that many of the messages included personal matters "unconnected" to handling the pandemic.4
  • The inquiry — approved by Johnson in 2021 — is investigating the government's handling of the pandemic, which has reportedly taken the lives of over 200K people, one of the highest counts in Europe. Public hearings run from June 13 until 2026.3

Sources: 1Guardian (a), 2Independent, 3Associated Press, and 4Guardian (b).

Narratives

  • Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by Spiked. Even if there's a cover-up by the UK government, keeping sensitive information confidential is a crucial executive principle. If fulfilled in its entirety, the inquiry's demand would set a dangerous precedent wherein literally anyone and everyone could force ministers to show their WhatsApp messages and eventually restrict the administration's ability to have group discussions on public policies.
  • Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by Guardian. Though the noise surrounding the fiasco should be distinct from the central principles of privacy and confidentiality, the fight between the inquiry, Johnson, and Sunak's government is extremely concerning. While the truth about how the UK handled the pandemic must come out, the tussle over WhatsApp messages shows the implications of running public administration through a messaging app.
  • Cynical narrative, as provided by Mirror. Even as WhatsApp messages are personal and confidential, Downing Street should not be the one to decide what's relevant and what isn't. Like Johnson, Sunak was a key player in handling the pandemic, and their conflicting responses to the inquiry not only raises questions about the rights of the individuals but also eyebrows about the government's conduct during the crisis.

Predictions