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The Latest Breaking News from Hallett

Tuesday briefing: A years-long inquiry into the Covid pandemic starts today – what will it find?

In today’s newsletter: A sprawling inquiry into the handling of the pandemic begins – this is what’s at stake

The Guardian - UK

The UK government does have a legal case for withholding WhatsApp messages from the COVID inquiry -- but here's why it will probably lose in court anyway

The UK government has decided to challenge, via a judicial review, a ruling on document disclosure by Baroness Hallett, the chair of the public inquiry which is looking into the way the COVID-19 pandemic was handled.

The Conversation

Rishi Sunak ‘not worried’ about being ‘embarassed’ by Covid inquiry messages

Rishi Sunak has denied that the Government is resisting the release of messages to the Covid inquiry because he fears embarassment.

Evening Standard

From analysis to the latest developments in health,
read the most diverse news in one place.

Minister insists Government trusts Covid inquiry chairwoman despite legal action

The Cabinet Office is challenging Baroness Hallett’s request for former prime minister Boris Johnson’s unredacted WhatsApp messages.

The Independent UK

Cabinet Office given until Friday to clarify Johnson WhatsApp redaction stance

Covid inquiry chairwoman Baroness Hallett challenged the Government on why it wanted to block material Boris Johnson was happy to submit to the probe

Evening Standard

I decide what’s relevant, says Covid inquiry chair in Boris WhatsApp row

Security experts to turn on Boris Johnson’s old phone in hunt for Whatsapps as row widens to the Foreign Office

The Independent UK

Refusal to hand over Covid WhatsApps based on ‘spurious nonsense’, top Tory MP says

Ministrs claim certain messages are ‘unambiguously irrelevant’ to Baroness Hallett’s inquiry

The Independent UK

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Covid inquiry chairwoman’s resignation ‘logical response’ if she loses WhatsApp fight

The issue is ‘a power struggle between politicians and the inquiry they’ve set up’ rather than a legal fight around privacy, a solicitor said.

Evening Standard

Inquiry chairwoman’s resignation ‘logical response’ if she loses WhatsApp fight

The issue is ‘a power struggle between politicians and the inquiry they’ve set up’ rather than a legal fight around privacy, a solicitor said.

The Independent UK

Government WhatsApps about ‘frothy’ coffee orders, not major decisions, former health minister claims

The existence of three key group chats comes ahead of the first hearings of the official inquiry into the government’s handling of the pandemic

The Independent UK

Sunak WhatsApp ‘mistake’ has given Boris an opportunity, warns ex-No 10 chief

Former PM ‘enjoying making life more awkward for Sunak’, says senior Tory Lord Barwell

The Independent UK

Sunak claimed the role of Covid hero. Lady Hallett may reveal a different tale

Role of eat out to help out scheme in increased cases and Treasury hostility to scientific advice may come under spotlight

The Guardian - UK

Boris Johnson ‘could lose public funding for his Covid inquiry legal costs’

The Cabinet Office wrote to him saying public money would ‘cease to be available’ if he breaks certain conditions

The Independent UK

Sunak under fire as ‘stupid’ Eat Out to Help Out scheme to be focus of Covid inquiry

Leading scientist attacks prime minister as criticism mounts of government approach to science during the crisis

The Guardian - UK

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Daily Mirror

'To claim Covid inquiry is on a fishing expedition is a nonsense'

'It is an outrage that Baroness Hallett is having to fight the Government tooth and nail to access the records of ministers and officials'

Daily Mirror

Boris Johnson hands WhatsApp messages to Covid inquiry as allies hit out at ministers

Friends of the former PM accused Rishi Sunak’s ministers of going to court to challenge the request because they do not want to hand over the contents of their phones

The Independent UK

What’s in your WhatsApps, Rishi? PM urged to hand over Covid messages

Campaigners call on PM to stop trying to ‘protect himself’ and open up his discussions on Eat Out to Help Out scheme and other policies

Evening Standard

OPINION - Boris Johnson to send unredacted WhatsApp messages to Covid Inquiry

The English language is a famously tricky one to master. French may have its genders and Greek a different alphabet, but no one does irregular verbs like us. Take an example from this week:

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Evening Standard

Rishi Sunak under pressure over Covid inquiry legal battle as Boris Johnson hands over WhatsApps

The former prime minister said he was willing to pass on messages dating back to pre-May 2021 that are on a locked phone.

Wales Online

Boris Johnson willing to send all Covid inquiry lockdown messages ahead of legal clash

It comes a day after the Government said it would seek a judicial review of the inquiry's demand

The Independent UK

Boris bypasses Rishi to tell Covid inquiry it can have his unredacted messages

Ex-PM says he is keen to provide messages from his old phone – discarded for security reasons

The Guardian - UK

The Guardian view on the Covid-19 standoff: it’s a matter for the inquiry

Editorial: Lady Hallett should be able to decide what is relevant in Boris Johnson’s papers – not the Cabinet Office

Evening Standard

Government seeks judicial review against Covid Inquiry demands for unredacted WhatsApps from pandemic

Meanwhile Boris Johnson says he is ‘more than happy’ to hand over his messages and notebooks directly

The Guardian - UK

Making sure our public inquiries get results

Letters: We need a more rigorous system of accountability, says Michael Bichard, while Graham Murphy says we can’t rush the Covid inquiry

Evening Standard

Covid inquiry ‘may be flawed if it doesn’t get all documents it needs’

Lord Saville backed Baroness Hallett’s demand that the inquiry team should decide what material is relevant or not

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