Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

UK government initiates legal battle over messages during Covid pandemic

Boris Johnson faced criticism in the early stages of the health emergency for not adequately recognising the severity of the threat

UK government initiates legal battle over messages during Covid pandemic

The UK government declared its intention on Thursday (01) to launch a legal challenge concerning the disclosure of documents to a public inquiry investigating its management of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Cabinet Office revealed that it would pursue a judicial review of the directive issued by inquiry chair Judge Heather Hallett, which mandates the submission of all correspondence.


The government specifically opposes the release of unredacted WhatsApp messages, diaries, and personal notebooks belonging to former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who held the position during the relevant period.

Johnson faced criticism in the early stages of the health emergency for not adequately recognising the severity of the threat. However, as the death toll escalated and new variants emerged, the scrutiny intensified.

Additionally, government ministers have faced backlash for allegedly granting contracts for protective equipment to acquaintances and allies, bypassing official government tendering procedures.

The Cabinet Office, responsible for coordinating government activities, was given a deadline of 4:00 pm (1500 GMT) to submit the requested materials or face potential legal consequences.

But it said in a letter to Hallett: "The Cabinet Office has today sought leave to bring a judicial review.

"We do so with regret and with an assurance that we will continue to cooperate fully with the inquiry before, during and after the jurisdictional issue in question is determined by the courts."

The letter stated that if a review is granted, it would look at whether the inquiry "has the power to compel production of documents and messages which are unambiguously irrelevant to the inquiry's work, including personal communications and matters unconnected to the government's handling of Covid".

"The request for unambiguously irrelevant material goes beyond the powers of the inquiry," it asserted, adding that to do so would be an "unwarranted intrusion into other aspects of the work of government" as well as serving and former ministers, and government employees.

However, Judge Heather Hallett maintains her responsibility to determine the relevance of information for the inquiry.

Meanwhile, the main opposition Labour party has accused the government of attempting to conceal evidence, suggesting a potential cover-up.

Johnson, who initiated the probe, scheduled to have its inaugural comprehensive hearing later this month, stated on Thursday his readiness to directly provide the requested material.

"I see no reason why the inquiry should not be able to satisfy itself about the contents of my own Whatsapps and notebooks," Johnson said in a separate letter to Hallett.

"If you wish to have this material forthwith, please let me know where and how you wish me to send it to you," he added.

Last week, Johnson was outraged upon learning that the Cabinet Office had supplied material to two police forces regarding potential violations of pandemic regulations.

He, along with numerous aides and the current Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, had previously been fined for attending alcohol-fuelled gatherings at Downing Street, thereby breaking the very laws they had implemented for the country.

(AFP)

More For You

Tower Hamlets secures funding to save domestic abuse support jobs

The planned strike action was called off after the external funding was secured

Tower Hamlets secures funding to save domestic abuse support jobs

Ruby Gregory

REDUNDANCY proposals which would have seen job cuts made to a ‘crucial’ domestic abuse support service in Tower Hamlets have been called off.

Solace Women’s Aid, which planned to make cuts, confirmed last Friday (28) the redundancies were no longer going ahead, following a boost in external funding which followed a threat of strike action.

Keep ReadingShow less
Report reveals Birmingham’s doctors face racism and bullying
Absences have risen at the Queen Elizabeth and Heartlands Hospitals in Birmingham, as well as Good Hope in Sutton and Solihull Hospital

Report reveals Birmingham’s doctors face racism and bullying

Gurdip Thandi

YOUNG doctors in Birmingham hospitals face a ‘shocking’ number of incidents of bullying, racism and sexism from patients and other staff.

The Medical Academy Annual Report was presented to a University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust board meeting, which revealed the data.

Keep ReadingShow less
Former police officer arrested in Rotherham investigation

Investigators believe the earlier offences happened between 1995 and 2002 (Photo for representation: iStock)

Former police officer arrested in Rotherham investigation

A FORMER police officer has been arrested in connection with the ongoing investigation into child sexual abuse in Rotherham, authorities revealed on Tuesday (1).

The former constable, who is in his 50s, was taken into custody on Monday (31). He is suspected of raping a teenage girl in the South Yorkshire town in 2004, according to officials.

Keep ReadingShow less
Modi Xi

Narendra Modi and Xi Jinping during their meeting in October 2024.

75 years of India-China relations: Modi, Xi call for stronger ties

INDIAN prime minister Narendra Modi and Chinese president Xi Jinping exchanged messages on Tuesday to mark the 75th anniversary of India-China diplomatic relations.

Modi stated that the development of bilateral ties contributes to global stability and a multipolar world, while Xi called for a "dragon-elephant tango" to strengthen cooperation between the two countries, China's state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

Keep ReadingShow less
Sri Lanka forms committee to address UK sanctions
Anura Kumara Dissanayake

Sri Lanka forms committee to address UK sanctions

THE Sri Lanka government on Wednesday (2) formed a committee to recommend measures regarding the UK's decision to impose sanctions on three former military commanders who led the campaign that crushed the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in 2009.

Health minister Nalinda Jayatissa told reporters that foreign minister Vijitha Herath, justice minister Harshana Nanayakkara and deputy minister of defence Aruna Jayasekara would comprise the committee that would consult experts for the purpose.

Keep ReadingShow less