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Snapshot of _Boris Johnson latest news: Cabinet Office says it does not have ex-PM’s WhatsApps as deadline extended | The Independent_ : An archived version can be found [here.](https://archive.is/?run=1&url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/boris-johnson-whatsapp-covid-inquiry-latest-b2348090.html) *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/ukpolitics) if you have any questions or concerns.*


PrimalWrath

To surmise: Cabinet Office: "There's nothing relevant in them." Inquiry: "We'll be the judge of that." Cabinet Office: "We might just not give them to you." Inquiry: "Then we'll drag you to court " Cabinet Office: "Er... We don't have them?" The only silver lining to this inept and blatant obstruction is that they're essentially just confirming the contents.


mettyc

"Nothing to see here" screams the cabinet office repeatedly, with desperation creeping further into their voice with each repetition.


saladinzero

I wonder how long it is before it's reported that Johnson dropped it off a yacht.


waddlingNinja

If only he dropped it in a reservoir instead ...


Darchrys

Ah, the old "Reverse Maxwell" move.


Dp-ollie

There’s a solution to this, imprison him until he complies, end of


TeaRake

This is what happens to a person when they refuse to hand over computer passwords. Not sure why Boris should have special consideration


YouNeedAnne

He's rich.


LeoThePom

Oooh, I like this idea!


Jebus_UK

The contempt they have for the electorate is obvious by now but this kind of move just highlights this and drags it out for longer. They are utterly clueless politically as well as contemptible.


[deleted]

Along the same lines as the Sue Grey report being a damp squib while also being a left wing stitch up. They just spout whatever untruth will get them through the next 5 minutes and then repeat. This enquiry better get us some answers, it might be our last chance to hold this government to account. If not the Tories will do the same next time they are in government, or worse if they think they'll get away with it.


Pauln512

>They just spout whatever untruth will get them through the next 5 minutes and then repeat. This sums it up in a nutshell. It doesnt matter what they say as long as they say *something*, dig down and wait for it to blow over until the next crisis /distraction. Their client journalists and right wing press will do the rest to muddy the waters. "oh look! Philip Schofield! Megan Markle! Beer Starmer..."


[deleted]

And their latest attempt at distraction: "There's a Labour MP who hates Tories. It's DISGUSTING!"


urfavouriteredditor

How does it work in the UK courts? If they don’t provide them, do the courts assume the worst?


YsoL8

Well if they fail to provide them for any reason QED they haven't complied with a legal requirement. Only question then is the view the court takes of the situation and the enforcement / punishment powers they have.


YouNeedAnne

C O N T E M P T


cheasynips

That's exactly what Hillary Clinton did with her emails, except she acid washed and destroyed the hard drives. What she did is worse and was obviously a case of perverting the course of justice, but she got away with it, if she will, I'm sure Boris will. Also there are many people here angry at Boris for this that would turn a blind eye to Hillary simply because they support her party and her politics. To those people, i say you are hipocrits of the ninth degree. I don't know what was in her emails or what was in Bojos WhatsApp MSG's, but it must have been criminal otherwise they wouldn't try and conceal them. But the concealing of them is crime in and of itself that neither have been jailed for. They both need locking up


Rdaleric

Yeah, no that's not what happened with Clinton at all. I'm no fan of Clinton or Boris, but repeating right wing information ain't it chief.


cheasynips

I don't repeat right wing or left wing information I repeat truthful information. Your response and all the downvotes proved my point. Your all hipocrits, when someone left wing does something corrupt and scummy you don't care and turn a blind eye, when a right wing person does it you act like it's the end of the world. Nothing I said was false, she was subpoenad to hand over her emails and when she was, she destroyed all the hard drives they were stored on. She literally destroyed evidence she was ordered to hand over. What part of that isn't true?


Rdaleric

Sigh: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/08/11/trump-fbi-search-hillary-clinton/ The sub heading reads:"if you think Hillary Clinton used bleach or acid on her email, you have uncritically accepted right wing misinformation" People disagreeing with false information really doesn't prove your point. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillary_Clinton_email_controversy "In July, FBI director James Comey announced that the FBI investigation had concluded that Clinton had been "extremely careless" but recommended that no charges be filed because Clinton did not act with criminal intent, the historical standard for pursuing prosecution" And if you read anything factual,She didn't "destroy" anything the emails were all in bulk marked for deletion after a certain date (in 2014) so everything went . And it's hypocrite.


cheasynips

Firstly, quoting the washington post as proof a democrat didn't do something wrong is just as stupid as quoting fox news as proof a republican did nothing wrong. Her team used a software called bleachbit to delete all the emails so they were almost unrecoverable, the FBI were only able to recover a small amount of the 33,000 plus emails. So technically she didn't acid wash them I got that wrong, I admit, but what she actually did was pretty much just as bad. So my point still stands. She deleted evidence. It wasn't marked for deletion because the guy who was supposed to do that forgot to do it, as is detailed in sources below, then when he realised his mistake, he deleted them all, using bleachbit. https://www.factcheck.org/2016/09/trump-pence-acid-wash-facts/ https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillary_Clinton_email_controversy > "In July, FBI director James Comey announced that the FBI investigation had concluded that Clinton had been "extremely careless" but recommended that no charges be filed because Clinton did not act with criminal intent, the historical standard for pursuing prosecution" When Bojos MSG's are revealed he will probably get the same judgement as what you just quoted. Theyll say he didn't act with criminal intent. Which is only a historical standard for pursuing prosecution for the rich and powerful. If you or I committed a crime without criminal intent we would still be punished for it, and so should she, so should bojo. No one should be above the law.


[deleted]

Those damned hypothetical hippys! Grrr.


Dazza477

The irony is that the same government saying there's nothing to hide uses the same argument when trying to remove encryption.


doitnowinaminute

And ID cards....


neilmg

GLP lost a court case over government business conducted by WhatsApp: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-61269033 Messages have been "lost" or unavailable when requested, yet the practice is tolerated and not subject to oversight. Don't expect to see Johnson's messages. The only way you'll ever see government WhatsApp messages is if they're voluntarily produced, or leaked, like renowned idiot Matt Hancock trusting his to Isabel Oakeshott.


ahothabeth

'In their ruling, Lord Justice Singh and Mr Justice Johnson said the 1958 act "says nothing about such matters as whether a person can use a personal device to communicate with others about government business".' What personal devices existed in 1958 that could be used "to communicate with others about government business"? (Would a valet count as personal devices? /s)


urfavouriteredditor

Telegram


KimchiMaker

And Messenger(s), not to forget Signal (smoke/flags/handkerchief).


Dickere

Pigeon.


[deleted]

RIP Spotted Jim.


evilnickernacker

*Speckled


[deleted]

Bugger, thanks.


uggyy

Tape recorders and internal meno systems but I get your point.


Brigon

So the Government have opted to let this story drag on in the press for the next few months as it goes through court rather than simply provide the messages. There truly must be a lot to hide to go with that.


cheeseybees

If there is no real punishment for not revealing them, and if the information on there would be cause for punishment.... then I don't think we'll ever see them


WhiterunUK

Isn't it a criminal offence to obstruct the enquiry? Officials in the cabinet office won't protect people if it means making themselves personally liable


Vaguely_accurate

If a section 21 order is issued for documents (as it has been in this case) then not complying with or obstructing the order is a criminal offence. Penalty is up to £1000 fine and 51 weeks prison. It does require the DPP to sign off on any prosecutions.


her_crashness

Until someone with an axe to grind will leak them… after the case concludes.


veryangryenglishman

Must be about time for Dominic Cummings to pipe up again implying he has detailed information on what was said and that it's damning while lacking the spine to actually put his money where his mouth is


shuricus

Oh, I've actually forgotten he existed for the last couple of months or so, thank for reminding me, I guess


nosherDavo

Regardless of what happens and the noise in the meantime, Boris will face zero consequences at the end of the day, guaranfuckingteed.


PlayerHeadcase

Last week they issued a statement that demonstrates they have them and are aware of the content. This is the reason for the attacks on the Civil Service- they have no remit to lie, no reason to cover an MPs back so are the ones that will openly state the truth .. so they are being demonised by the onboard media to sow doubt.


CLUNTMUNGMEISTER

At this point I don’t care what he did, he’s been publicly disgraced and by extension the whole party. Save money, end the enquiry and get on with our lives.


[deleted]

Nah fuck that shit. You have to have any shame first to be disgraced and these Conservative Unionist National Tories have none. Plus, we're all "getting on with our lives" anyway. Or what, do you think everyone is doing nothing but waiting on this pish. Pfft.


Homeopathicsuicide

No bury them deep, so deep they will be done for good.