WhatsApp messaging has become a key part of communication within government, with recent leaks and publications revealing how the platform is used to make top-level decisions, and exposing the worries and private thoughts of ministers and political aides in the process.
The cross-party Commons privileges committee has disclosed message exchanges between No 10 officials “struggling” to decide how to claim Downing Street parties were within the Covid lockdown rules. A section of the committee’s report said that when Boris Johnson was asked to submit evidence he said he “held no relevant material”. Six months later, in response to another request, his solicitors supplied the committee with 46 WhatsApp messages between Johnson and five other people. Here are some of the key messages. 28 April 2021 The context: Almost two weeks after a lockdown leaving party was held on 16 April for James Slack, the former No 10 director of communications, a WhatsApp message reveals that those advising Johnson on what to say publicly and in the House of Commons on law-breaking parties struggled to explain how they could not have broken the rules. The message: On 28 April 2021, a No 10 official said: “[No 10 official]’s worried about leaks of PM having a piss up and to be fair I don’t think it’s unwarranted.” 30 November 2021 The context: A year after Downing Street staff were holding lockdown parties, the Daily Mirror published the first Partygate report, accusing Boris Johnson and his staff of breaking rules by hosting the parties at No 10 in the run-up to Christmas 2020. The bombshell story claimed Johnson gave a speech at a “packed leaving do” for a top aide on 30 November during the second lockdown, and a gathering was held on 13 November after Dominic Cummings left Downing Street. The messages: Hours before the story broke, Jack Doyle, the then director of communications for No 10, said in a WhatsApp message to a No 10 official: “Can you pull together our best possible defence on this one. I don’t know what we say about the flat.” A No 10 official replied: “Don’t we just do a generic line and not get into whether there was a drinks thing or not.” The official added: “‘Covid rules have been followed at all times’ or something.” Doyle said: “I think we have to say something as robust as we can manage but see what you think.” 25 January 2022 The context: Doyle questioned how Johnson’s lockdown birthday gathering on 19 June 2020 could not be considered a breach of the rules. At the time the party was held, strict lockdown rules meant indoor socialising was banned, but people could meet in groups of six outdoors. An exemption was allowed for gatherings that were “reasonably necessary … for work purposes”. The messages: Doyle said in a WhatsApp message to a No 10 official at 6.54am: “Have we had any legal advice on the birthday one?” Just over 30 seconds later, the director of communications added: “Haven’t heard any explanation of how it’s in the rules.” At 8am, another No 10 official said: “I’m trying to do some Q&A, it’s not going well.” Doyle responded: “I’m struggling to come up with a way this one is in the rules in my head.” He added: “PM was eating his lunch of course.” Separately, Doyle later told the No 10 official: “I meant for the police bit but yeah as ridiculous as the cake thing is it is difficult.” The No 10 official said: “Reasonably necessary for work purposes.” But Doyle replied: “Not sure that one works does it. Also blows another great gaping hole in the PM’s account doesn’t it?”