When a high profile politician at an official inquiry is asked about WhatsApp messages and they say “oh sorry, the dog ate my phone” or “I think I probably must have deleted them or something” – why isn’t the next question “who did you have WhatsApp exchanges with?”. The great thing about WhatsApp is you can delete to your heart’s content – but the other people in the group still have it. Phew!
Then let’s say the high profile politician willingly recalls 10 names. Why don’t they then go and ask those 10 people to reveal THEIR messages from the high profile politician? At least some of them will not have set fire to their phone or dropped it accidentally from the top of the Burj Kalifa… surely?
Yes, of course they’re not going to do that. What are you, crazy?
But the Inquiry could! So why do they just leave it there and take it no further?
Seem to recall Senator Joe McCarthy and those officiating at the various US red-under-the-bed enquiries of the 1950s used to compell people to name names.
It did not end well
Doesn’t all this just typify what Trump, Johnson etc have done to Politics? In the olden days (twenty years ago, say?) even amongst scoundrels there was some honour. Get caught shagging Christine Keeler, resign. Get caught leaking info to a journalist when pissed, resign.
Nowadays with the backing of friendly media the bastards just say “Oops, can’t remember. I gave it to Johnny” in the safe and certain knowledge whatever it is they done wrong will soon be forgotten (unless ITV make a documentary series about it).
No wonder all across the world nobody trusts politicians anymore. “I forgive Trump because he’s not a politician, he’s one of us”. Aaaaagh!!!
God forgive me for what I’m about to say – on my WhatsApp it says “Delete for you or delete for everybody”.
Case dismissed, clear the court
I understand you only have the option to delete for everyone for two days after the message is sent.
It’s a much shorter time period than that.
A pedant writes: it wasn’t shagging Christine Keeler that was the offence (unless you were Mrs P), it was lying to the HoC about it.
Presumably these people who have conveniently deleted their whatsapp messages never used the back up option.
Which people are we talking about?
Johnson, Sunak, the entire Conservative Party….
I think the latest instance is from the Covid Enquiry which is in Edinburgh looking into the Scottish Government’s handling of the pandemic.
It has revealed that Nicola Sturgeon and others in the government deleted all of the relevant WhatsApp and similar messages. This may be illegal, and aside from that she has in the past claimed they would provide all such documents.
She is due to speak at the enquiry next week – expect lots of head bobbing, “Let me absolutely clear” and “I don’t remember”.
Ok thanks
Although I gather Holyrood (aka Scots Government) OKs individual deletions, as they keep copies of all official documentation, which includes What’s App. Not so, it seems, at Westminster.
The Head of Corporate Governance was the person who, reluctantly, revealed the deletions. She said that deletion was up to ministers, and the civil service had no copies of these deleted messages – none were given to the enquiry.
Or indeed at Holyrood. Have you seen the fragment where a senior civil servant reminds the politicians that their WhatsApp discussion is retrievable under FoI. And that they should therefore all delete it…
The Scottish Government (civil service) has been utterly corrupted by the SNP. A clear-out is needed.
“He is a fucking clown” – well, you can’t fault her analysis.
https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/damning-liz-lloyd-evidence-showed-31965022
Is there meant to be something controversial in there? The sky is blue, grass is green, Johnson is a fucking clown…
Even a broken clock…