AN extraordinary Covid row exploded yesterday after 100,000 pandemic WhatsApp messages to and from the former Health Secretary Matt Hancock were leaked.
In one of the biggest unofficial disclosures of government data, it was revealed children in England were forced to wear face masks to appease Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.
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And Mr Hancock stands accused of ignoring scientific advice on testing the elderly and frail moving into care homes.
In a hammer blow to the I’m A Celeb star the source of the leak was journalist Isabel Oakeshott, who co-authored his Pandemic Diaries.
Despite handing her his entire messaging history, Mr Hancock claimed she had stolen them.
Last night, Downing Street was at panic stations amid fears PM Rishi Sunak might be dragged into the row over the messages, leaked to the Daily Telegraph.
And Mr Hanock’s allies said he was considering legal action over claims he ignored pleas from the country’s top doctor, Prof Sir Chris Whitty, to test those entering care homes from the community.
His spokesman said it was “flat wrong” he had rejected the idea of giving Covid tests to everyone.
According to the messages, at the time in 2020 Mr Hancock insisted it was “not currently possible” to test all arrivals in care homes.
Despite saying testing for all was “obviously a good, positive step” he then told an aide it “muddies the water”, with tests necessary only for those coming from hospital.
Figures show more than 43,000 care home residents died of Covid between 2020 and 2022.
The messages also show children were made to wear face masks in schools after Boris Johnson ducked a fight with the SNP’s Ms Sturgeon.
The then PM pressed ahead with the controversial policy in 2020 days after it came into force in Scotland.
Asked for his advice, Prof Whitty reportedly told him there was “no strong reason against . . . and no very strong reasons for, so agree not worth an argument”.
Ex-Sunday Times journalist Isabel Oakeshott, who previously described lockdowns as an “unmitigated disaster”, said she leaked the messages as she feared the official Covid inquiry would be a “colossal whitewash”.
She insisted: “That’s why I’ve decided to release this sensational cache of private communications — because we absolutely cannot wait any longer for answers.”
Labour also hit out over claims Mr Hancock’s aide got a Covid test for senior Tory Jacob Rees-Mogg’s child while there was a shortage.
No10 said any investigation into data protection breaches was a matter for the Information Commissioner’s Office.
However, the watchdog said yesterday it would not be getting involved at this stage.
A Whitehall source said of Mr Hancock: “Why would you hand all your messages to someone who has a track record of turning people over and was bitterly opposed to the policies you were responsible for.”
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Ex-health minister Lord Bethell dismissed claims Covid decisions were made via messaging.
He said: “This partial glimpse gives a misleading impression.”
But Jean Adamson, whose father died in a care home in April 2020, told ITV’s Good Morning Britain he was a “lamb to the slaughter”.
She said: “This just confirms what we suspected all along — that Matt Hancock lies his way through. He was more focused on meeting his targets, rather than the welfare of our most vulnerable members of society.”
Mr Sunak told the Commons: “The right way for these things to be looked at is the Covid inquiry.”
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