No 10 denies ‘cover-up’ as Covid inquiry struggles to get Boris Johnson messages

Downing Street has rejected claims of a “cover-up” as the Covid-19 inquiry extended the deadline for the Government to hand over former Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s unredacted WhatsApp messages and notebooks.

As Tuesday’s deadline approached, the Cabinet Office was given until 4pm on Thursday to turn over the evidence after officials claimed they do not possess all the documents demanded. Mr Johnson insisted he has “no objection” to handing over the evidence as his successor Rishi Sunak insisted the Government was acting “in a spirit of transparency and candour”.

But inquiry chair Lady Hallett demanded a witness statement from a senior civil servant accompanied by a statement of truth confirming the documents are not held if the Cabinet Office fails to produce them by the new deadline.

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Former head of the Civil Service Lord Kerslake told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “There’s some cover-up going on here to save embarrassment of ministers, but there’s also the Cabinet Office fighting for a principle of confidentiality. I have to say I think they’re misguided on this situation. I actually think it would set a helpful precedent if Lady Hallett prevailed in this fight about the information.”

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman flatly denied the allegation of a cover-up, saying: “No. We want to learn the lessons about the actions of the state during the pandemic, we want that to be done rigorously and candidly.”

He said there is no requirement to “permanently store or record every WhatsApp”, with messages related to decision-making instead copied over to the official record. But the spokesman said it is “down to individuals to decide what personal