Covid inquiry will examine Boris Johnson’s Whatsapp messages during pandemic

‘The disease has caused widespread and long-term physical and mental illness, grief and untold misery’ said Hugo Keith KC

The Covid-19 public inquiry is set to examine Boris Johnson’s WhatsApp messages during the pandemic response.

The inquiry has requested to see the former prime minister and other senior officials’ communications associated with “core-decision making”.

Counsel for the inquiry, Hugo Keith KC, said thousands of documents had been requested to inform the inquiry, and gave the Cabinet Office as an example.

“We have sought agendas, minutes and other documents associated with the core decision-making forum such as Cabinet meetings, Cobra meetings and ministerial implementation groups,” he said.

“We’ve asked for ministerial submissions, No 10 daily briefing documents, records of written and oral advice to ministers and details of internal communications including a WhatsApp group, which included the prime minister, No 10 and other senior officials.”

On Monday morning, as he opened the second stage of the statutory inquiry, he said the pandemic’s impact will be felt for “decades to come”.

“The pandemic has led to financial and economic turmoil.

“It has disrupted economies and education systems and put unprecedented pressure on national health systems. Jobs and businesses have been destroyed and livelihoods were taken away.

“The disease has caused widespread and long-term physical and mental illness, grief and untold misery,” he said.

Module two of the inquiry will scrutinise political decisions and actions in relation to the pandemic, covering a period between early January 2020 until February 2022, when the remaining Covid-19 restrictions were lifted.

Inquiry chair Baroness Heather Hallett will examine the effectiveness of mandatory lockdowns in controlling the spread of coronavirus, the inquiry was told.

This will include “the relationship between the timeliness and the length of the lockdown, and the trajectory of the disease”, Mr Keith said.

Around 200 scientists, including all those involved in the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) group and others in the Independent Sage group, have been asked to give evidence about the effectiveness of the pandemic response.

The probe also heard that 39 individuals, groups and institutions have been granted core participant status for the second module.

Mr Keith said questions would be asked about the role of the Sage group, including whether any lessons may be learned from the “structures in place in other countries for the provision of scientific advice to policymakers”.

He added: “Was the system of government medical and scientific advisers effectively utilised? How effective was the decision-making system under which the prime minister and other ministers acted on the advice and recommendations of the relevant bodies and advisers? Did the system allow properly for timely political decision-making?”

A further preliminary hearing for the module will take place in early 2023, with public hearings starting in the summer. These are scheduled to last for around eight weeks.