2023-06-01 20:58:32
He british government has decided to start a legal battle to avoid handing over information to the commission investigating the pandemic management in it United Kingdom. The decision has been announced by the cabinet office this Thursday, the day on which the term given by the commission to deliver the documents ended, among which are the whatsapp messages that the then prime minister, Boris Johnsonhe exchanged with his assistants and with members of his Government in the worst moments of the pandemic.
The current Prime Minister Rishi Sunakhas finally resisted giving the green light to the delivery of this informationdescribed by members of its own Executive as “irrelevant” for research. “The Government has fully cooperated with the investigation to date, delivering tens of thousands of documents, and we will continue to comply with the law”, Sunak said in statements on the sidelines of the meeting of the European Political Community, held this Thursday in Moldova. The Executive has justified his refusal on this occasion, highlighting the private character of the messages that, according to their criteria, escape the framework of the investigation.
The British Executive will initiate a legal battle to avoid delivering the WhatsApp messages exchanged between the former Prime Minister and his subordinates
Johnson pressure
Despite this justification, the decision is casting doubt on the government transparency when it comes to facilitating the task of the commission and is opening speculation on the real reasons of the refusal. The coming to light of compromising messages for some of the former ministers of Johnson who continue in the Government, including Sunak himself, is raised as one of the possible reasons, especially after the former prime minister has shown his willingness to deliver himself the documentation to the commission. The move has added pressure on Sunak, with whom he is in a tough confrontation.
Johnson has insisted this week that It has nothing to hide and he has recalled his total willingness to collaborate with an investigation that he himself initiated. “The Cabinet Office has had access to the information for months”, explained a spokesman for the former prime minister after the government assured that it did not have a detailed record of all the messages. “Mr. Johnson would disclose the information immediately in case the commission requests it”, he added. However, the person in charge of the commission, the jurist Heather HalletFor now, he has not asked the former prime minister to deliver the documentation and continues to demand it from the Executive.
Johnson says he has nothing to hide and has offered to deliver the messages himself, should the inquiry commission ask him to.
Inside war
The new tense episode between Sunak and Johnson comes a few days after another alleged breach of confinement by the former prime minister during the pandemic. It was the own cabinet office which reported to the police information that Johnson received Visits at the Checkers residence when it was not yet allowed. The information also reached the hands of the commission investigating whether Johnson lied to Parliament about the ‘Partygate’ scandal, which must decide whether suspend former prime minister of his functions as a deputy.
The team of Johnson He called this move a “politically motivated attempt to create something out of nothing” and accused the Cabinet Office of not contacting him before forwarding the information to the police. “It is something bizarre and unacceptable,” said the spokesmen for the former prime minister, who has defended that the visits received were within the law. The disclosure of this information has embarrassed Johnson and further compromised his aspirations to return to the political front line in case of being exonerated by the commission that investigates him.
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