Boris Johnson's old phone containing WhatsApp messages 'unlocked by experts'

Cabinet Office will carry out a security check of messages before passing them to Covid inquiry

The announcement marks a breakthrough in the public investigation into Boris Johnson's handling of the coronavirus crisis. AFP

Boris Johnson’s WhatsApp messages from his old mobile phone have been recovered by technical experts and will be passed to the Covid-19 inquiry, a spokesman for the former UK prime minister said on Friday.

The announcement marks a breakthrough in the public investigation into his government’s handling of the coronavirus crisis.

Mr Johnson, who departed No 10 last September, had been advised to stop using the phone in May 2021 over security concerns after it emerged his number had been freely available online for 15 years.

He then reportedly forgot the passcode.

But the former Tory leader’s spokesman said on Friday that he was “pleased that technical experts have now successfully recovered all relevant messages from the device”.

“As repeatedly stated, he will now deliver this material in unredacted form to the inquiry,” he added in a statement.

The Cabinet Office will now conduct a security check of the messages before they are delivered to the inquiry, the representative said.

Mr Johnson used the device during crucial periods of the pandemic and it is believed to contain messages relating to the government’s decision to impose three lockdowns in 2020.