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Boris Johnson WhatsApp row reignites pain of bereaved Covid relatives, says woman whose father died alone

The row over Boris Johnson’s undisclosed WhatsApp messages and notebooks has reignited the pain of relatives who lost loved ones during the pandemic, a woman whose father died during the first lockdown has said.

The Covid-19 Inquiry has extended the deadline for the former prime minister’s WhatsApp correspondence from during the height of the Covid-19 outbreak to be handed over.

It comes after i revealed the Cabinet Office was refusing to hand over to the Covid inquiry hundreds of unredacted WhatsApp messages, emails and other documents from Boris Johnson and other senior government figures.

The Government has said material contained in the messages and documents is “unambiguously irrelevant” to Baroness Hallett’s inquiry.

Diane Mayhew, campaigner with Care Rights UK, a new charitable organisation formed following the merger of Rights for Residents and Relatives & Residents Association, said the row was affecting the mental health of people who lost loved ones during the height of the pandemic.

“The heartache never goes away and each time disclosures are made that contain disturbing evidence that lock down rules were blatantly ignored, the injustice inevitably reignites their pain. The anger and upset is palpable,” she said.

Ms Mayhew has tirelessly campaigned for people in care and hospital settings to have a legal right to unrestricted visits from at least one care supporter.

Her own father, Alan, died of Covid without his family by his side due to restrictions in place in April 2020 during Mr Johnson’s premiership.

“Those in power must accept responsibility and face the consequences. It wouldn’t bring our loved ones back, but it would set a precedent for the future to ensure that prime ministers and politicians know in no uncertain terms that they are not above the law,” she said.

Ms Mayhew also suggested the dispute indicated the Government was reluctant to be held accountable.

She said: “During the pandemic, the Government held us all accountable for the actions we took as they had an impact on everyone’s lives. The Government set strict guidance and made it clear that there would be consequences for those who chose not to follow it.

“Boris Johnson was the Prime Minister who presided over these rules and if he abided by them, why would he have any concerns about being held accountable? If he has nothing to hide, why would he be worried about being transparent with the public?”

The Cabinet Office, the official channel for all material relating to ministers from the pandemic, has told the inquiry it does not have the former prime minister’s WhatsApp messages or notebooks.

Downing Street said the Government has already provided more than 55,000 documents, 24 personal witness statements and eight corporate statements.

Mr Johnson’s office has said the documents are with his lawyers and he has “no objection” to them being shared with the inquiry.

A spokesman for Mr Johnson said: “Mr Johnson has no objection to disclosing material to the Inquiry. He has done so and will continue to do so. The decision to challenge the Inquiry’s position on redactions is for the Cabinet Office.”

A new deadline for disclosure has been set for 4pm on Thursday 1 June.

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