COVID inquiry: Government faces legal proceedings as deadline looms at hand over Boris Johnson’s WhatsApps

Criminal proceedings might be taken towards the federal government if they don’t hand over unredacted WhatsApp messages despatched by Boris Johnson through the COVID inquiry, based on a prime barrister.

A deadline of 4pm on Tuesday looms for the Cabinet Office to cross the communications – in addition to different paperwork – to inquiry chair Lady Hallett in an unredacted kind after she made an order underneath part 21 of the Inquiries Act 2005.

If the Cabinet Office do problem the order, a authorized battle looms between the federal government and Lady Hallett.

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Adam Wagner, a barrister at Doughty Street Chambers, advised Sky News that if the order shouldn’t be complied with there are a number of choices.

He stated: “If the 4pm deadline passes and the government decides it’s not going to comply in full with the ruling by Hallett, then in theory they could be committing a criminal offence under the inquiries act and criminal proceedings could be taken.”

According to the act, anybody convicted of failing to adjust to a piece 21 order faces a advantageous of as much as £1,000, 51 weeks in jail, or each.

The Cabinet Office itself might be prosecuted as a physique company.

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But Mr Wagner laid out two different choices that might be taken.

“Another option is that the Baroness could refer the matter to the High Courts and the High Court would then make an order deciding what to do next.

“And then a 3rd choice is that the federal government may inform Baroness Hallett they will judicially overview her – they usually have till early subsequent week to do this because it’s 14 days from the choice that was taken.

“And if they decide to judicially review her, it’s unlikely that any enforcement action will be taken in the meantime.

“But that might be heard, I believe, fairly shortly by the High Court.”

Labour peer and former lord chancellor Lord Falconer told Sky News that he believes the government does not “have a leg to face on” when it comes to refusing the inquiry.

He thinks the Cabinet Office will opt for a judicial review – and that the “will both say go away, we’re not going to present you permission for a judicial overview” or they will let a review take place in the next fortnight or so.

“The courts should not going to let the federal government string this out for any size of time,” he added.

Lord Falconer believes Mr Johnson likely sacked his Cabinet Office-appointed lawyers because they “weren’t keen to make the arguments” he wished them to.

Historian Sir Anthony Seldon, who has written a e-book on Mr Johnson’s time in workplace, stated blocking Lady Hallett’s request would trigger “interminable protests” about attending to the reality.

Mr Johnson doesn’t oppose the messages being handed over in precept, based on his spokesperson, including that the present row is with the Cabinet Office.