Key Boris Johnson aide set key WhatsApp group to auto-delete

Submitted ⁨⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago⁩ by ⁨0x815@feddit.de⁩ to ⁨unitedkingdom@feddit.uk⁩

https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/covid-19-inquiry-disappearing-whatsapp-martin-reynolds-boris-johnson/

The WhatsApp group, called ‘PM Updates’, contained Boris Johnson’s closest advisers and discussions within the group touched on key Covid policies – such as shielding the clinically vulnerable, and the Department of Health and Social Care’s plans for responding to the pandemic.

But as plans for the inquiry took shape, Martin Reynolds – Johnson’s principal private secretary at the time – set the group so that messages sent would vanish after a period of time. It means potentially key discussions that took place are unavailable as evidence.

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Weslee@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
So destruction of evidence? Obstruction of justice? Any of the typical charges for this stuff if your average Joe were to pull this kind of stunt?

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- Docus@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
  Average joe would be in trouble for just using whatsapp or email for government business. It is against the rules of any government department I ever worked with. Never mind deleting the evidence.
  
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- v9CYKjLeia10dZpz88iU@programming.dev ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
  [deleted]
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  - hellothere@sh.itjust.works ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
    I can’t believe I actually have to say this.
    
    You are not a government official, working in a professional capacity having conversations with your collegues about the job you’re doing.
    
    Your personal discord, etc, is complete irrelevant.
    
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  - snacks@feddit.uk ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
    nixon had no problem though
    
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Lifebandit666@feddit.uk ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
We should stop end to end encryption, and also we use deleting messages in WhatsApp…

Our government

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CeleryFC@beehaw.org ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
So a top government official was smart about digital communication? Why is this a story?

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- snacks@feddit.uk ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
  nothing to see here! dont look at this! look over there! its the goodyear blimp!
  
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scrchngwsl@feddit.uk ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
I see this as analogous to having a telephone conversation that isn’t recorded. I don’t really see a problem with that, other than whatever legal requirement there is to record and secure government communications. I doubt the obligation extends to every single discussion that takes place in the halls of government or by phone.

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- hellothere@sh.itjust.works ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
  
  other than whatever legal requirement there is to record and secure government communications.
  
  So you do see the problem.
  
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- snacks@feddit.uk ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
  i see what youre saying but we do actually need to know exactly, thats why theres a full public enquiry to stop people making accusations that are not true, just as much as the accusations that are. Once there is a full public record, we dont need to rely on this person or that to tell us. We know that Boris went on holiday for no reason at the start and refused to answer his phone. This was not disclosed before, nor was the Chancellors restaurant scheme which killed 65k people. Its very easy in the political cycle to forget alot of this went on even if you did remember it.
  
  Also, if you really dont care you can pretend its not happening but you are likely to be outside the big kids room when something does require your attention
  
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