Boris Johnson ‘can’t remember passcode’ to old phone with Covid WhatsApps

Technical experts are trying to safely recover material from the secured device, former PM's spokesperson says

Boris Johnson is reportedly unable to remember the passcode of his old mobile phone. AP

WhatsApp messages from Boris Johnson’s old mobile phone have still not been handed over to the UK Covid-19 Inquiry because he has reportedly forgotten the passcode.

The former UK prime minister stopped using the phone in May 2021 after security concerns were raised but it is likely to contain crucial correspondence about the UK government’s early pandemic response.

Mr Johnson is reportedly unable to recall the passcode with “100 per cent confidence”.

Government officials are trying to securely retrieve the messages from the phone, which is being held by the ex-premier’s lawyers.

However, there are concerns the contents could be wiped if the wrong combination of numbers is entered.

Mr Johnson was advised not to access the phone again while serving as Britain’s leader in May 2021, after it emerged his number had been freely available online for 15 years.

The device is believed to contain messages relating to the ordering of three lockdowns in 2020.

A spokesman for the former prime minister did not deny that he cannot remember the code.

The spokesman said the phone was with Mr Johnson’s lawyers and the government-appointed technical experts “continue to work to recover material safely from the device”.

He added: “As previously stated, Mr Johnson will co-operate fully with the inquiry.

“He wants to disclose any relevant material which is why he is fully co-operating with this process.”

The inquiry is understood to be aware of efforts to securely extract any potentially relevant content from the phone.

A mobile security expert cast doubt on claims the messages cannot be accessed without the passcode.

Andrew Whaley, senior technical director at Norwegian cybersecurity company Promon, said: “This is a pretty lame excuse. Provided Boris’s WhatsApp is backed up, accessing the data would take minutes.

“As this is a diplomatic phone, the security measures may very well be different, but even still, it’s not an impossible task by any means.”

The Government handed over the rest of Mr Johnson’s WhatsApp messages, his unredacted notebooks and diaries from his time in Downing Street to the inquiry after it lost its bid to prevent their release.

It had fought the request from inquiry chairwoman Baroness Heather Hallett, arguing it should not have to hand over material that is “unambiguously irrelevant”.

But the argument was dismissed by the High Court last week.

The Cabinet Office had until 4pm on Monday to comply with its ruling to pass on the documents.

A Cabinet Office spokesperson on Wednesday said “all of the requested material” had been released to the inquiry.

It has been contacted for comment on Mr Johnson’s passcode.