Lockdown Files

The messages were given to Isabel Oakeshott by Matt Hancock to help write his book. His details were included in stories.

Many messages reported were between Permanent Secretary in Number 10, Simon Case and Hancock

Messages included details of Chief Scientific Adviser, Chris Whitty's advice to the government

Messages revealed disagreement in policy between Hancock and then Chancellor Rishi Sunak

People mentioned in the Lockdown Files series

The Lockdown Files are a series of articles in The Daily Telegraph containing evidence, analysis, speculation, and opinion relating to more than 100,000 WhatsApp messages obtained from former health secretary Matt Hancock that were leaked to them.^[1]^[2]

The material, relating to the COVID-19 lockdown in the United Kingdom, was given to The Telegraph by Isabel Oakeshott, who had worked with Hancock on his book Pandemic Diaries. Oakeshott said that the release of these messages was motivated by the slow pace of the UK COVID-19 Inquiry and her concern that the findings might be a "whitewash", citing public money being used in legal action to redact the names of officials.^[3]

^ "The Lockdown Files: How WhatsApp messages offer an unprecedented view of government failings". The Telegraph. 28 February 2023. Archived from the original on 1 March 2023. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
^ Young, Toby (1 March 2023). "Hancock's lockdown files show there was no Covid 'plandemic'". The Spectator. Archived from the original on 1 March 2023. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
^ Oakeshott, Isabel (28 February 2023). "I had to release Matt Hancock's Covid WhatsApp messages to avoid a whitewash". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 5 March 2023. Retrieved 2 March 2023.

[1] "The Lockdown Files: How WhatsApp messages offer an unprecedented view of government failings". The Telegraph. 28 February 2023. Archived from the original on 1 March 2023. Retrieved 2 March 2023.

[2] Young, Toby (1 March 2023). "Hancock's lockdown files show there was no Covid 'plandemic'". The Spectator. Archived from the original on 1 March 2023. Retrieved 2 March 2023.

[:5-3] Oakeshott, Isabel (28 February 2023). "I had to release Matt Hancock's Covid WhatsApp messages to avoid a whitewash". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 5 March 2023. Retrieved 2 March 2023.

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