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Former UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock Empics Entertainment

Leaked lockdown Whatsapp messages have landed Matt Hancock back in the spotlight - here's why

Hancock has described the leak as a “massive betrayal and breach of trust”.

MONTHS AFTER HE came third in I’m A Celebrity, Matt Hancock is back in the news but for a very different reason.

The former UK Health Secretary, who played a significant role in the UK’s response to Covid-19, has been the focus of a tranche of stories from the Daily Telegraph, who gained access to tens of thousands of Hancock’s leaked WhatsApp messages.

In recent days, stories have focused on policies implemented by the UK Government during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic: from care home staff testing to the closing of schools.

Around 100,000 WhatsApp messages were provided to the Telegraph by journalist Isabel Oakeshott, who gained access to them while she worked with Hancock on his book about his time as Health Secretary.

Hancock has since accused Oakeshott of a “massive betrayal and breach of trust” for leaking the messages, adding that he was sorry for the impact the leak would have on people who were mentioned.

“I am hugely disappointed and sad at the massive betrayal and breach of trust by Isabel Oakeshott,” Hancock said.

“I am also sorry for the impact on the very many people – political colleagues, civil servants and friends – who worked hard with me to get through the pandemic and save lives.”

However, this morning Oakeshott accused Hancock of sending threatening messages after stories began to run in the Telegraph.

In response, Hancock refuted the claims and said that he did not send “menacing” messages to Oakeshott but that he had said it was a “big mistake”.

Oakeshott, who formerly was a presenter at GB News and now works for TalkTV, has been an outspoken critic against the UK Government’s use of lockdowns during the pandemic.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4 this morning, Oakeshott said that she didn’t leak the messages for money and defended her decision as being in the public interest.

“Anyone who thinks I did this for money must be utterly insane,” Oakeshott said.

“This is about the millions of people, every one of us in this country that were adversely affected by the catastrophic decisions to lock down this country repeatedly, often on the flimsiest of evidence for political reasons.”

In a written statement issued via the Daily Telegraph this afternoon, Oakeshott added:

“Hard though it may be for him to believe, this isn’t about Matt Hancock, or indeed any other individual politician. Nor is it about me. The greatest betrayal is of the entire country.

We were all let down by the response to the pandemic and repeated unnecessary lockdowns. Children in particular paid a terrible price. Anyone who questioned an approach we now know was fatally flawed was utterly vilified, including highly respected and eminent public health experts, doctors and scientists.

So, what exactly is in these leaked messages?

School closures

The latest revelations surround the closure of schools during the pandemic, with the leaked texts showing that Hancock had clashed with the then-Education Secretary Gavin Williamson.

The messages show that Hancock was concerned about the reopening of schools in January 2021, with texts between him and his aides raising concerns about what he described as a “policy car crash”.

According to the leaks, then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson was in agreement with Williamson for schools to reopen, with Hancock then planning to fight a “rear-guard action” to close schools to prevent a spike in Covid-19 transmission.

gavin-williamson-abusive-texts-allegations Former Education Secretary Gavin Williamson PA PA

In the end, most schools in the UK were only open for a single day before Johnson announced their closure with the country entering into a national lockdown.

Alongside the concern over school openings, the messages show that both Williamson and Hancock had criticised teaching unions over their opposition to the decision to delay A-level exams.

Hancock described the unions as a “bunch of arses” while Williamson said that “they really do hate work”.

Care homes and testing

The initial revelations from the Telegraph were focused primarily on how Hancock had rejected advice to provide Covid-19 tests to residents entering into care homes.

The leaked messages detail that the UK Chief Medical Officer, Chris Whitty, had told Hancock that the Government needed to put testing in place for “all going into care homes”.

In response to Whitty, Hancock said that it was “obviously a good positive step” but privately told an aide that he only wanted to test people entering care homes who had come from a hospital.

“Tell me if I’m wrong but I would rather leave it out and just commit to test & isolate ALL going into care from hospital. I do not think the community commitment adds anything and it muddies the waters,” his text reads.

In response, a spokesperson for Hancock rubbished the story and said that the Telegraph was providing a “distorted view of the pandemic” through partial leaks.

He said that all the messages have already been provided to the upcoming UK Covid-19 inquiry and that that was the “proper place for an objective assessment”.

The texts also detail how one of Hancock’s advisors helped secure a Covid-19 test sent out to senior Tory MP Jacob Rees-Mogg’s home while there was a major testing backlog.

According to the leaked messages, Hancock received a message from his aide saying that a lab had lost the tests for Rees-Mogg’s children and so had organised a courier to deliver a new test.

The Telegraph have flagged that there is still more detail to come from “The Lockdown Files”, with additional stories on Hancock and the UK Government’s response to Covid-19.

Additional reporting by Press Association

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    Mute Tony Skillington
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    Aug 11th 2014, 7:47 AM

    This is getting really worrying..

    42
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    Mute Orange Order Loyal
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    Aug 11th 2014, 8:17 AM

    If you look how it’s transmitted I wouldn’t loose too much sleep over it.
    You have more chance of being killed driving to work.

    30
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    Mute Stephen
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    Aug 11th 2014, 8:35 AM

    That’s a nice thought as I drive to work later.

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    Mute Orange Order Loyal
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    Aug 11th 2014, 9:24 AM

    You make it in Alrite Hun xox

    23
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    Mute Ryan Carroll
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    Aug 11th 2014, 12:31 PM

    Why? It hhasnt left Africa and its only spreading there for unique local reasons.
    Its not airborne and odds of it mutating to that are lower than your statistical odds of drowning in your bathtub.
    Only one Ebola case has ever been seen in Europe and it was nowhere near Ireland. We handle the sick and dead differently.

    We’ll b fine, even if it got here we have an excellent national pandemic plan and a great national isolation unit which is ready prepared as we speak just in case. HSPC is monitoring the epidemiology of the outbreak we would likely have plenty of warning before it got here. You have to come into direct contact with infected persons bodily fluids to get it, even if they sneezed directly into your mouth you might not get it.
    Even in the nightmare scenario of an airborne strain spreading here, for several reasons were best equipped in Europe to deal with it.

    There is no reason to fear.

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    Mute Stephen
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    Aug 11th 2014, 7:57 AM

    It would be just terrible if it wiped out the whole human race, well kinda.

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    Mute Hill 16
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    Aug 11th 2014, 7:57 AM

    I’d say we aren’t being told half the story, only what the media wants the public to know.

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    Mute Vocal Outrage
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    Aug 11th 2014, 8:25 AM

    So, what do you think they are not reporting about, and why?

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    Mute Ryan Carroll
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    Aug 11th 2014, 12:44 PM

    No doubt that it was made by the pentagon in conjunction with the bilderbergers and illuminati to help the one world government ..

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    Mute Gary Brandon
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    Aug 11th 2014, 7:42 PM

    http://m.naturalnews.com/news/046414_Ebola_vaccine_safety_testing_drug_company_profits.html

    There’s one thing they don’t seem to reporting and also the issue of the cdc having a patent on the Ebola virus? There is plenty going on that isn’t being reporting and judging by how Ryan here is very strongly opposed to anyone taking small amount of prepardness for themselves and to trust our government if and when it does hit Ireland. There is no evidence supporting the fact that it can’t be transferred other than bodily fluids as the virus mutates so fast. And Ryan with all these alleged claims you say that there is a contingency plan why haven’t the government issued a statement to at least put the public at ease? I mean if it’s as harmless as you say and people are worrying shouldnt the government who you are encouraging us to trust so much at least be putting those worries at ease? Also why did the head of the CDC admit that a pandemic in the USA is inevitable only a few days ago?

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    Mute Sean Hyland
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    Aug 11th 2014, 8:55 AM

    We have more sub Saharan immigrants per head of population than any other country in Europe. If a case turns up here we will need a contingency set up immediately.

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    Mute Gill B
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    Aug 11th 2014, 10:42 AM

    Yeah Sean that’s because we have population of 4.9million. Manchester has population of 5million & London 20million. In fact Ireland allows less refugee/asylum in than any other EU country !!
    I bet you felt good when you were younger filling the Trocaire Box, but God forbid they come to ‘your’ country for help #getalife !!!

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    Mute Ryan Carroll
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    Aug 11th 2014, 12:34 PM

    We have s contingency plan for this.
    Medical staff have been told what to look for.
    The national isolation unit has beds prepared.
    A protocol for moving the infected there safely from elsewhere is ready.

    I know its hard to believe, but take it from someone who generally considers the Irish state incompetent: were prepared.
    The odds of it getting here are v v low though. Your odds of dying in an MVA are way way higher.

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    Mute Murph11
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    Aug 11th 2014, 7:50 AM

    What is most worrying is that every country which is unaffected is repatriating victims. Guaranteed if this poor person has picked up the virus, they’ll be on the next plane back to Germany

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    Mute Boganity
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    Aug 11th 2014, 8:03 AM

    Are you suggesting we pull up the ladder ?

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    Mute Ryan Carroll
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    Aug 11th 2014, 12:43 PM

    Do you know why?
    1. Its not fatal in every case
    2. As a pandemic es it goes through a crest then a trough as it burns out, as it burns out the case fatality rate goes down. More and more survive.
    3. Some might have been infected by only 1-2 particles of the virus. Put simply your odds of dying are inversely proportional to how much of the virus you take it. So someone might intake an amount their immune system w/help of meds can fight off.

    4. Given the above, you want the person to get the best care and best odds of survival. If they don’t get this well let me tell you how some of them will die.
    The virus will destroy their immune system then attack the organs until they are turned to semi liquid pulp, so say your stomach lining will disintegrate and you’ll die of internal hemmorage in uni,aginable pain.
    Anything we can do to improve somones odds of surviving that we should, particular brave best of humanity medical staff who went there to help people.
    Could you watch your son or daughter die there saying well they knew they were going into danger? They ought to b commended for so selflessly putting g their lives on the line to help vulnerable patients.
    Its not easily transmitted and they will b in isolation.

    Ignore the tabloid hysteria they’re just trying to sell papers, focus of science, facts, logic and reason it will leave you better informed.

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    Mute ian110664
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    Aug 11th 2014, 9:42 AM

    Heard someone who visits there that he dreads malaria more than ebola.

    5
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