British officials have made a significant breakthrough in the Covid-19 inquiry regarding former Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s old mobile phone. They have reportedly discovered a version of the PIN that could potentially unlock the device and provide access to historic WhatsApp messages. Mr. Johnson had missed a key deadline in the investigation by failing to hand over his phone, claiming he had forgotten the code to unlock it.
Concerns have been raised among civil servants that entering the wrong combination of numbers could result in the contents of the phone being wiped. However, allies of Mr. Johnson have clarified that he does remember the PIN, but lacks full confidence in recalling it accurately. Additionally, the government has stated that it has found its own version of the PIN, suggesting a potential breakthrough in accessing the device.
The phone in question is believed to contain crucial messages related to the ordering of Covid lockdowns in 2020, as well as the early response of Mr. Johnson’s administration to the pandemic. Due to security concerns, Mr. Johnson was advised not to access the device again while serving as Prime Minister. His phone is currently being held by his lawyers.
The independent public inquiry, led by former senior judiciary members, aims to examine the UK’s overall response to the Covid-19 crisis and provide recommendations. Lady Hallett, who heads the inquiry, sought access to Mr. Johnson’s WhatsApp messages, particularly those exchanged within a group chat discussing the pandemic response. She also requested to see WhatsApp exchanges between Mr. Johnson and several other politicians, including the current Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, who served as Chancellor during the Covid crisis.
The Cabinet Office had been given a deadline of Monday to hand over the unredacted WhatsApp messages from Mr. Johnson’s phone, following a legal challenge that ordered access to his diaries, notebooks, and WhatsApps in their entirety. However, the lack of access to the phone prompted Whitehall officials to formally notify the Covid inquiry about the reasons for not being able to provide the requested correspondence.
The news of potentially finding the PIN for Mr. Johnson’s phone marks a significant development in the inquiry. It remains to be seen whether the discovery will enable access to the device and the crucial messages it holds. As the investigation continues, it is crucial to maintain proper journalistic integrity and consider different perspectives and opinions to ensure a balanced view of the topic.
In conclusion, British officials have made progress by finding a version of the PIN for Boris Johnson’s old mobile phone, potentially unlocking access to historic WhatsApp messages. The phone is believed to contain important information related to Covid lockdowns and the early response to the pandemic. The independent inquiry seeks to examine the UK’s overall handling of the crisis, and Lady Hallett had requested access to Mr. Johnson’s WhatsApp messages. The Cabinet Office had until Monday to provide the requested correspondence but cited lack of access to the phone as the reason for non-compliance. The discovery of a potential PIN breakthrough brings hope of accessing the device and retrieving the valuable messages.
