Covid Inquiry: Government denies "cover-up" as Johnson's Whatsapp messages seem to vanish

But this has now been pushed back to tomorrow, at 4pm.

Boris Johnson has insisted he does not object to disclosing his evidence to the inquiry and that the decision to challenge Lady Hallett’s request had come from the Cabinet Office.

After a Downing Street spokesman denied suggestions of a cover-up, Rishi Sunak said he remains committed to cooperating, and insisted the Government was acting in a “spirit of transparency and candour”.

He said: “With regard to the specific question at the moment, the Government is carefully considering its position but it is confident in the approach that it’s taking.”

But the delay does little to allay allegations from opposition figures of obfuscating the inquiry that the Government itself set up.

Further, the Government’s seeming reluctance for the messages to be seen, and the apparent willingness to expend political capital in order to protect a former Prime Minister and several former ministers has raised questions about how damaging the contents really are.

To additionally complicate matters, the exact whereabouts of the messages and the notebooks is now not clear.

Mr Johnson’s team says the notebooks and WhatsApps have been handed to the Cabinet Office legal team, but he has since parted ways with his government-appointed – and taxpayer-funded – lawyers.

That parting came after his former team raised potential law breaches with the police, relating to alleged gatherings at Chequers during lockdown.

Yesterday, the Cabinet Office also said there was no requirement to retain every WhatsApp message.

The former prime minister says he has not had a request from the Cabinet Office since telling officials in a letter on Friday any request for material must be in writing to him.

According to his team, his message to the department said: “If the Cabinet Office requires any action to be taken regarding this or any other material you must tell me in writing.

“To date, our office is not aware of having received any instructions or requests from the Cabinet Office regarding this material.”

Labour said the evidence that has seemingly “gone missing” must be found and presented to the Covid-19 inquiry to avoid the “whiff of a cover-up”.

Deputy leader Angela Rayner said: “The fact the Covid inquiry has invoked legal powers to compel the handover of crucial documents in the face of legal battles and delaying tactics shows this is a Government with much to hide.

“It now appears that vital evidence has gone missing. It must be found and handed over as requested if the whiff of a cover-up is to be avoided and bereaved families are to get the answers they deserve.”

Whitehall officials are understood to be concerned about setting a precedent by handing over all the requested documents in unredacted form, rather than deciding what material is relevant and should be submitted to the inquiry.

Former head of the Civil Service Lord Kerslake told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “There’s some cover-up going on here to save the embarrassment of ministers, but there’s also the Cabinet Office fighting for a principle of confidentiality.

“I have to say I think they’re misguided on this situation. I actually think it would set a helpful precedent if Lady Hallett prevailed in this fight about the information.”.