• Privacy policy
  • T&C’s
  • About Us
    • FAQ
  • Contact us
  • Guest Content
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Opinion
    • Elevenses
  • Business
  • Food
  • Travel
  • Property
  • JOBS
  • All
    • All Entertainment
    • Film
    • Sport
    • Tech/Auto
    • Lifestyle
      • Horoscopes
    • Lottery Results
      • Lotto
      • Thunderball
      • Set For Life
      • EuroMillions
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
SUPPORT THE LONDON ECONOMIC
NEWSLETTER
The London Economic
No Result
View All Result
Home News

Sunak says Government ‘confident’ in position on Covid Inquiry demands

He was speaking less than an hour before a deadline to hand over Boris Johnson’s papers and WhatsApp messages.

Joseph Connor by Joseph Connor
2023-06-01 16:08
in News, Politics
FacebookTwitterLinkedinEmailWhatsapp

Rishi Sunak said the Government was still “carefully considering next steps” with just minutes to go before the deadline to hand over Boris Johnson’s WhatsApp messages, diaries and notebooks to the Covid-19 inquiry.

The Prime Minister said the Government was “confident” in its position, but did not set out how it intended to respond to inquiry chairwoman Baroness Hallett’s demand for the documents to be submitted.

She has given the Cabinet Office until 4pm to disclose the information she has requested or face the threat of a criminal prosecution.

Speaking at a summit in Moldova, Mr Sunak said: “I think it’s really important that we learn the lessons of Covid so that we can be better prepared in the future.

Rishi Sunak visit to Moldova
Rishi Sunak met Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky in Moldova but could not escape domestic political problems (Carl Court/PA)

“And we’re doing that in the spirit of rigour but also transparency and candour.

“We’ve co-operated, the Government’s co-operated thoroughly with the inquiry to date, handing over tens of thousands of documents, and we will continue to comply of course with the law, co-operate with the inquiry.

“We’re confident in our position but are carefully considering next steps.”

The Government had previously argued that it did not have the messages and notebooks, but Mr Johnson’s office confirmed he has handed them over to officials.

The Cabinet Office has also argued that it should withhold “unambiguously irrelevant” material, but Lady Hallett has ruled that everything should be disclosed and she will decide what is or is not necessary for her work.

RelatedPosts

Tories ‘acting in interests’ of wealthiest as living costs soar – Corbyn

Man denied entry to baseball game after trying to take his ’emotional support alligator’

BBC release trailer of Steve Coogan as Jimmy Savile

Another one bites the dust: Calvin Robinson given the heave-ho by GB News

Mr Johnson’s decision to publicly confirm he has handed over the material – stripping the Cabinet Office of one of its defences – and his suggestion that it should be disclosed to the inquiry has heaped pressure on his successor’s Government.

Whitehall officials are concerned about the wider precedent that will be set by handing over swathes of unredacted WhatsApp conversations, with fears that the inquiry will seek similar levels of disclosure from other senior figures including Mr Sunak himself.

Lady Hallett issued her demand for the material under Section 21 of the Inquiries Act 2005, and failure to comply could lead to prosecution and a potential fine or jail term for an individual found guilty of the offence.

The Government could seek a judicial review of her notice, questioning whether the demand for the documents falls within the scope of her inquiry – but legal experts have suggested the Cabinet Office would have a weak case given the wide remit set out in Lady Hallett’s terms of reference.

Last-ditch efforts to find a compromise continued on Thursday as the deadline – which had already been extended by 48 hours – loomed.

You may also like: ‘Brexit will be remembered as a historic economic error’ – Larry Summers

Tags: COVID inquiryRishi Sunak
Previous Post

The International Allure of London is Kickstarting the Economy

Next Post

Millionaire Tories plea for inheritance tax to be scrapped

Since you are here

Since you are here, we wanted to ask for your help.

Journalism in Britain is under threat. The government is becoming increasingly authoritarian and our media is run by a handful of billionaires, most of whom reside overseas and all of them have strong political allegiances and financial motivations.

Our mission is to hold the powerful to account. It is vital that free media is allowed to exist to expose hypocrisy, corruption, wrongdoing and abuse of power. But we can't do it without you.

If you can afford to contribute a small donation to the site it will help us to continue our work in the best interests of the public. We only ask you to donate what you can afford, with an option to cancel your subscription at any point.

To donate or subscribe to The London Economic, click here.

You can also SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER .

Subscribe to our Newsletter

View our  Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions

More from TLE

Braverman: Discrimination for being gay should not justify asylum in UK

The Rise of Alternative Nicotine products: Analysing the Shift in Consumer Preferences

Braverman: Multiculturalism has ‘failed’ and threatens security

Sun hits out at ‘woke’ HS2 rail line

GB News: Text exchange between Fox and Wootton raises doubts over apology

Elton John and UN slam Braverman speech

Nandy rips Braverman’s multiculturalism claims to shreds on Question Time

Gordon Brown: States that profited from oil surge should pay global windfall

Sunak ‘removing the alternatives’ to driving, say walkers and cyclists

Hancock gets SAS roasting and everyone says the same thing

JOBS

FIND MORE JOBS

About Us

TheLondonEconomic.com – Open, accessible and accountable news, sport, culture and lifestyle.

Read more

SUPPORT

We do not charge or put articles behind a paywall. If you can, please show your appreciation for our free content by donating whatever you think is fair to help keep TLE growing and support real, independent, investigative journalism.

DONATE & SUPPORT

Contact

Editorial enquiries, please contact: [email protected]

Commercial enquiries, please contact: [email protected]

Address

The London Economic Newspaper Limited t/a TLE
Company number 09221879
International House,
24 Holborn Viaduct,
London EC1A 2BN,
United Kingdom

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.




No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Food
  • Travel
  • JOBS
  • More…
    • Elevenses
    • Opinion
    • Property
    • Tech & Auto
  • About Us
    • Privacy policy
  • Contact us

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.




← The International Allure of London is Kickstarting the Economy ← Millionaire Tories plea for inheritance tax to be scrapped
-->