WhatsApp leak first skirmish of battle that will last all year

Political legacies at stake as Tory big-hitters give their version of pandemic response

The Hancock WhatsApp leak is merely the opening skirmish of a battle set to rage all year.

The main players in Britain’s fight against Covid will soon find themselves – like the characters in the famous Spiderman meme – all pointing at each other.

At stake is their political legacy and how history will judge them on one of the biggest issues in generations.