Boris Johnson arms COVID materials to Cabinet Office in ‘full and in unredacted type’

All of Boris Johnson’s WhatsApp messages and notebooks which have been requested by the COVID inquiry have been handed to the Cabinet Office in “full and in unredacted form”, his spokesman has mentioned.

The spokesman mentioned the previous prime minister needed the Cabinet Office to “urgently” disclose the fabric to the inquiry.

An announcement from the previous PM’s spokesman mentioned: “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.

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

“The Cabinet Office has had entry to this materials for a number of months. Mr Johnson would instantly disclose it on to the Inquiry if requested.

“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.

Johnson arms unredacted WhatsApps demanded by COVID inquiry to Cabinet Office – politics newest

“Mr Johnson cooperated 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.”

The intervention by Mr Johnson’s workforce will heap stress on the Cabinet Office which has come beneath stress for holding on to the paperwork requested by the inquiry chair, Lady Hallett.

Lady Hallett had ordered the federal government division to hand over the previous prime minister’s messages – alongside diary entries and notes – by 4pm on Tuesday 30 May.

However, the deadline was later prolonged and now stands at 4pm on Thursday 1 June.

It has been confirmed to Sky News that the inquiry has not requested Mr Johnson instantly for the fabric and is ready for the Cabinet Office handy over the requested paperwork by the official deadline tomorrow.

Despite dealing with accusations of a canopy up, the Cabinet Office final night time caught by its refusal handy over the paperwork, arguing that it was “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”.

The division mentioned it has already offered “upwards of 55,000 documents, 24 personal witness statements, eight corporate statements” and that “extensive time and effort” had gone into aiding the inquiry over the past 11 months.

But it added: “However, 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 contains the WhatsApp messages of presidency staff’ which aren’t about work however as a substitute are solely private and relate to their personal lives.”

If the government does not abide by the new deadline on Thursday, Lady Hallett has ordered that a statement be sent by a “senior civil servant” confirming the Cabinet Office doesn’t have the requested info, in addition to a chronology of the federal government’s contacts with Mr Johnson concerning the requests and whether or not the federal government has ever had the information.

Breaking a piece 21 order might see the federal government face legal proceedings, and there’s additionally potential for a courtroom battle over whether or not the data ought to be handed to the inquiry.

Speaking shortly earlier than the inquiry’s announcement, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak mentioned the “government is carefully considering its position, but it is confident in the approach that it’s taking”.

Labour and the Liberal Democrats have criticised Mr Sunak for hesitating over the order, with shadow well being secretary Wes Streeting accusing the prime minister of being “slippery”.

On Tuesday Mr Streeting mentioned Mr Sunak ought to “comply with the inquiry and do it today”.

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

He mentioned the prime minister’s “slipperiness” gave “the impression of someone who is not fully committed to transparency, openness, accountability”.

Asked whether or not he was involved a few potential “cover up”, Mr Streeting mentioned: “I think the fact the prime minister looks so slippery today will be a cause of deep anxiety to people who are following the inquiry closely – not least those families who have suffered bereavement and just want some honesty and some answers.”

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The unbiased COVID Inquiry, chaired by Lady Hallet, was introduced by Mr Johnson in May 2021 and can look at the federal government’s dealing with of the pandemic.

The battle between the events centres on messages Mr Johnson despatched and acquired, in addition to his diaries and his notebooks from through the pandemic.

The row began when the inquiry issued a authorized discover to the Cabinet Office final week for not handing over the total contents of Mr Johnson’s messages.

While the federal government believes it has no obligation to reveal “unambiguously irrelevant” materials, Lady Hallett disagrees -and beneath the Inquiries Act 2005, she has the ultimate phrase.

In her response to the federal government, she rejected their argument concerning the Cabinet Office deciding what or what is not “unambiguously irrelevant”.

She mentioned in her ruling that every one these paperwork “contain information that is potentially relevant” to how choices have been made through the pandemic.