WhatsApp leaks offer ‘view into psyche of Hancock’, not government workings, minister says

The leaked messages of Matt Hancock reveal a “view into the psyche” of the former health secretary as opposed to the workings of Government during the pandemic, a Tory minister has said.

Chris Heaton-Harris, the Northern Ireland secretary, insisted the trove of more than 100,000 WhatsApp messages being shared in the Telegraph’s lockdown files is not the full picture of what happened at the heart of the British government during 2020 and 2021.

He also downplayed the gallows humour and stark admissions within the messages, suggesting they show politicians “being human beings”.

Click here to sign up for our newsletters.