After disruption at the start, Hugo Keith KC, counsel for the inquiry, begins his questioning of Boris Johnson.
He is asked about the disclosure of COVID-related documents, WhatsApps, emails and notes.
“I’ve done my best to give everything of any conceivable relevance,” Mr Johnson says.
Asked if this has always been his position, Mr Johnson says: “Yes.”
He is then shown a WhatsApp exchange between Simon Case, the cabinet secretary, and Martin Reynolds.
Mr Case says: “The PM is mad if he doesn’t think his WhatsApps will become public via COVID inquiry – but he was clearly not in the mood for that discussion tonight!”
This message exchange was in December 2021, days after Baroness Hallett was appointed as chair of the inquiry.
Mr Johnson says he doesn’t remember the context of this message.
“I’ve handed over all relevant WhatsApps.”
The conversation quickly turns to a number of WhatsApp messages – around 5,000 – that were not accessible.
Asked why this is, Mr Johnson says: “I don’t know the exact reason”.
“It looks as though it was something to do with the app going down and coming up again, but somehow automatically erasing all the things from between” the moment it went down and when it was last backed up, he says.
However, Mr Johnson says he doesn’t remember doing a “factory reset”.
“I haven’t removed any WhatsApps from my phone,” he insists.
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