By Justin ParkinsonPolitical reporter, BBC NewsImage source, Getty ImagesMinisters’ use of WhatsApp and private email accounts for official government communications does not break the law, the High Court has ruled.Campaigners argued that these services made it easier to delete information and cover up possible wrongdoing.But judges decided that existing law on keeping public records said “nothing” about the use of personal devices for government business.They also ruled that the use of auto-delete software was not unlawful.The government called the court case “an unnecessary use of time and taxpayers’ money”.Campaigning lawyers Foxglove, acting on behalf of non-profit media group The Citizens, and the Good Law Project took the government to the High Court over what they claimed was “government by WhatsApp”. It followed revelations that some ministers had used messaging systems and personal emails to send official communications.Witness statements released during the High Court case revealed that since November 2020 Boris Johnson had been sent a summary of his “red box” – containing prime ministerial business to attend to – via WhatsApp.He and six other senior ministers had downloaded Signal – an app that can instantly delete messages – to their phones, but this had since been removed from the PM’s…
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Ministers' WhatsApp and personal email use doesn't break law, court rules – BBC News
