According to the British “Times” website reported on June 16, 25 notebooks belonging to former British Chancellor Boris Johnson during his tenure were intercepted by the authorities after the security section found several pages of highly sensitive information during the inspection.
Officials argued that the sensitive material could only be inspected by someone with the highest security authority and that if it were to be returned to Johnson, it would have to be “properly preserved” in a secure location. The prosecution also raised concerns about Johnson’s use of irrelevant messages on French WhatsApp.
The controversy over the unrelated notebooks has once again thrust Johnson into the center of the administration’s enforcement struggle with the COVID-19 investigation committee, just as current governor Rishi Sunak is trying to break free from a bitter dispute with his predecessor.
Johnson reportedly asked his supporters not to vote for a damning indictment that found he had deliberately misled the House of Commons. It has been suggested that Johnson’s lack of support among Conservative MPS could be concealed if he inherited the struggle.
Mr Johnson’s Allies insist the former chancellor is keen to move on from Tory infighting, but Downing Street will remain nervous about his new Daily Mail column. The Cabinet ethics watchdog accused Mr Johnson of “apparent compliance” with its rules because he had taken care of them half an hour before the column was published.
Johnson’s notebook remains at the center of the authorities’ law enforcement struggle with the coronavirus investigation committee, which will reach a fever pitch at the end of this month. Johnson wrote in detail about the rest of his time in charge of the Treasury, assuming that they would form the basis of his political memoirs.
President Hallett of the COVID-19 investigative committee requested access to unedited copies of Johnson’s notebooks and WhatsApp messages to determine which parts were relevant.
The Cabinet Office declined the request and would only provide a codified copy. This attitude confounds many Conservative MPS, who urge the administration to promise progressive transparency.
The Cabinet Office told the review committee: “Some of the outstanding information could have national security implications, and we thank the review committee for understanding the need to appropriately handle and punish sensitive information.” We will continue to work with Mr. Johnson and the exploratory Committee to ensure that anything that can contain… Sensitive security information is lost to proper disposal penalties.”