Covid: Senior ministers interviewed in lockdown leak probe

The leaks prompted the PM to announce the lockdown at a hastily arranged press conference

Senior cabinet ministers have been interviewed or had their phones checked as part of a Covid leak inquiry, as first reported by the Mail on Sunday.

The investigation was launched after briefings to the press led Boris Johnson to announce England's lockdown earlier than planned.

Sources close to a number of ministers who attended a key meeting 10 days ago have denied they had any involvement.

The Cabinet Office said it would not comment on an ongoing investigation.

The inquiry, conducted by officials, centres around a meeting held on Friday 30 October.

Senior ministers were among those to discuss new coronavirus data, with some details appearing in the media that night. The next day Mr Johnson announced England's lockdown in a press conference.

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In a message to Tory MPs on 31 October, the prime minister insisted the briefing had not come from No 10 and that he had originally hoped to reveal the measures to Parliament on Monday.

He revealed an inquiry had been set up to "catch the culprit".

Sources close to the Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove have said he and his aides were "happy" to submit their phones for examination given they had nothing to hide.

A spokesman for Health Secretary Matt Hancock said any claims he was behind the leak were categorically untrue.

It is understood aides to Chancellor Rishi Sunak have also had their phones checked while he was interviewed last week at 11 Downing Street and that he has strongly denied any involvement.

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