London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Aug 24, 2025

UK ministers accused of ‘government by WhatsApp’ in court

UK ministers accused of ‘government by WhatsApp’ in court

Two high court cases brought by transparency campaigners exploring whether use of self-destructing messages is unlawful

Transparency campaigners have accused ministers of conducting “government by WhatsApp” in the UK’s third-highest court, arguing that the use of self-destructing messages on insecure platforms is unlawful and undemocratic.

Ministers and government officials could be stopped from sending “disappearing messages” after failing to keep public records of exchanges on personal phones, email and WhatsApp.

Some of those communications addressed matters of considerable public importance relating to the pandemic response and the awarding of government contracts.

From Tuesday, two separate cases will be heard over three days, with a decision at a later date.

The first case is brought by transparency campaigners All the Citizens (ATC) and non-profit Foxglove over the use of disappearing messages and auto-delete functions. The second case, brought by the Good Law Project, focuses on private devices.

On Tuesday, the high court heard that the prime minister, Boris Johnson, has used personal WhatsApp accounts to communicate “critical decisions”.

Ben Jaffey QC, representing ATC, said the messages could serve as a “public record for future societies” and that deletion does not adhere to “meaningful and parliamentary democracy”, allowing for “scrutiny through inquiries or court proceedings”.

The campaigners are also seeking an end to a Cabinet Office policy of deleting messages sent on personal devices, in some cases using functions that auto-delete messages after seven days, which they argue breaches the Public Records Act.

The government’s legal team contend that it is not unlawful for ministers to choose how they communicate, and the use of private devices is common in modern workplaces.

Executive director of ATC, Clara Maguire, said the case was prompted by a refusal from the Cabinet Office to answer questions on the use of WhatsApp for government business, which contravenes government policy.

She said: “It’s extraordinary that we’ve had to come to court to try and get answers. Our evidence reveals disappearing messages have been used time and again. This period, Boris Johnson’s government, will be a black hole for future historians.”

Evidence submitted to the judge includes several witness statements in which key figures of government are named for their use of personal devices and auto-deletion.

These include Johnson’s former chief adviser Dominic Cummings, half the permanent secretaries in the Cabinet Office, all the special advisers and most Cabinet Office ministers, including the former health secretary, Matt Hancock, and the education secretary, Nadhim Zahawi.

The evidence also shows that the prime minister requested summaries of his “red box” submissions by WhatsApp to his personal phone, even though No 10 policy prohibits the use of the platform for “non-trivial communications”.

In their written arguments, the claimants’ lawyers contended that the “admitted instances of the use of automatic deletion are likely to be the tip of a much larger iceberg”.

The government’s legal team has suggested that information in private accounts is “not, in principle, inaccessible” and can be retrieved on request, that although their use is discouraged it is not banned, and contend that “it is possible to operate automatic deletion lawfully and fairly”.

In a written submission, they argued that “there is no principle” of common law stopping ministers or officials from communicating in a way “they consider appropriate”.

They continued: “The claims advanced are detached from the reality of current working practices. The modern working age is defined by instant and fast-paced communications.”

The cases continue.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner Purchases Third Property Amid Housing Tax Reforms Debate
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Italian Facebook Group Sharing Intimate Images Without Consent Shut Down Amid Police Investigation
Dutch Foreign Minister Resigns Amid Deadlock Over Israel Sanctions
Trump and Allies Send Messages of Support to Ukraine on Independence Day Amid Ongoing Conflict
China Reels as Telegram Chat Group Shares Hidden-Camera Footage of Women and Children
Sam Nicoresti becomes first transgender comedian to win Edinburgh Comedy Award
Builders uncover historic human remains in Lancashire house renovation
Australia Wants to Tax Your Empty Bedrooms
MotoGP Cameraman Narrowly Avoids Pedro Acosta Crash at Hungarian Grand Prix
FBI Investigates John Bolton Over Classified Documents in High-Profile Raids
Report reveals OpenAI pitched national ChatGPT Plus subscription to UK ministers
Labour set to freeze income tax thresholds in long-term 'stealth' tax raid
Coca‑Cola explores sale of Costa coffee chain
Trial hears dog walker was chased and fatally stabbed by trio
Restaurateur resigns from government hospitality council over tax criticism
Spanish City funfair shut after serious ride injury
Suspected arson at Ilford restaurant leaves three in critical condition
Tottenham beat Manchester City to go top of Premier League
Bank holiday heatwave to hit 30°C before remnants of Hurricane Erin arrive
UK to deploy immigration advisers to West Africa to block fake visas
Nurse who raped woman continued working for a year despite police alert
Drought forces closures of England’s canal routes, canceling boat holidays
Sweet tooth scents: food-inspired perfumes surge as weight-loss drugs suppress appetites
Experts warn Britain dangerously reliant on imported food
Family of Notting Hill Carnival murder victim call event unmanageable
Bunkers, Billions and Apocalypse: The Secret Compounds of Zuckerberg and the Tech Giants
Ukraine Declares De Facto War on Hungary and Slovakia with Terror Drone Strikes on Their Gas Lifeline
Animated K-pop Musical ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Becomes Netflix’s Most-Watched Original Animated Film
New York Appeals Court Voids Nearly $500 Million Civil Fraud Penalty Against Trump While Upholding Fraud Liability
Elon Musk tweeted, “Europe is dying”
Far-Right Activist Convicted of Incitement Changes Gender and Demands: "Send Me to a Women’s Prison" | The Storm in Germany
Hungary Criticizes Ukraine: "Violating Our Sovereignty"
Will this be the first country to return to negative interest rates?
Child-free hotels spark controversy
North Korea is where this 95-year-old wants to die. South Korea won’t let him go. Is this our ally or a human rights enemy?
Hong Kong Launches Regulatory Regime and Trials for HKD-Backed Stablecoins
China rehearses September 3 Victory Day parade as imagery points to ‘loyal wingman’ FH-97 family presence
Trump Called Viktor Orbán: "Why Are You Using the Veto"
Horror in the Skies: Plane Engine Exploded, Passengers Sent Farewell Messages
MSNBC Rebrands as MS NOW Amid Comcast’s Cable Spin-Off
AI in Policing: Draft One Helps Speed Up Reports but Raises Legal and Ethical Concerns
Shame in Norway: Crown Princess’s Son Accused of Four Rapes
Apple Begins Simultaneous iPhone 17 Production in India and China
A Robot to Give Birth: The Chinese Announcement That Shakes the World
Finnish MP Dies by Suicide in Parliament Building
Outrage in the Tennis World After Jannik Sinner’s Withdrawal Storm
William and Kate Are Moving House – and the New Neighbors Were Evicted
Class Action Lawsuit Against Volkswagen: Steering Wheel Switches Cause Accidents
×