Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson Releases COVID-19 Inquiry Materials to UK Government

Johnson is urging the government to hand over the material to the inquiry in full, without redactions.

The inquiry, which begins public hearings in two weeks, is investigating how ministers handled the pandemic.

The government has so far refused to hand over material it does not consider relevant.

The Cabinet Office has until 16:00 BST on Thursday to disclose all of the information it has requested.

The Cabinet Office argues that ministers must have the right to discuss policies in private and says a leading lawyer is in the process of deciding what is relevant to the inquiry.

However, the inquiry's chairwoman, crossbench peer Baroness Hallett, says it is her role, not that of the government, to decide what is relevant.

The standoff could lead to a legal battle between the Cabinet Office and the inquiry, with the courts deciding what material is made available.

Some senior Conservative MPs have urged the government to back down to avoid a lengthy legal showdown with the inquiry.