Covid inquiry demands Tory ministers hand over WhatsApp messages

Public inquiry chair says she wants ‘all relevant WhatsApp messages’ from pandemic

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.