Boris Johnson’s Old Phone Yields Recovered WhatsApp Messages

New developments have confirmed that Boris Johnson’s WhatsApp messages, previously thought to be lost, have been successfully recovered from his old phone. In a positive move, the former prime minister will now be handing over these unredacted messages to the Covid Inquiry.

A spokesperson for Mr. Johnson expressed his satisfaction with the technical experts’ successful recovery of all relevant messages from the device. The spokesperson also confirmed that, as consistently stated, Johnson will now provide this material, without any redactions, to the inquiry.

However, before the material is delivered, the Cabinet Office will need to conduct a security check in accordance with the inquiry’s process. Therefore, the timing of this delivery is under the control of the Cabinet Office.

It was always clear that Boris Johnson intended to pass this material to the inquiry and do everything in his power to aid its recovery. The process followed to achieve this success has been carefully approved by the inquiry.

Device used during critical pandemic periods

In May 2021, Mr. Johnson was advised to stop using the phone and not access it on security grounds while serving as prime minister. It had come to light that his phone number had been available online for 15 years.

The device he used during crucial periods of the pandemic is expected to contain messages relevant to the implementation of three lockdowns in 2020.

An ally of Mr. Johnson had previously expressed uncertainty about remembering the PIN, but a version of it was eventually found by the Government.

Ministers had sought to prevent the wholesale disclosure of Mr. Johnson’s notebooks, WhatsApp messages, and diaries. However, the inquiry successfully pursued the case in the High Court, resulting in the Government’s loss.