Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Politics
Charlie Jones

WhatsApps show Hancock wanted to 'deploy' new Covid variant to 'frighten pants off' public

At the height of the pandemic, then-Health Secretary Matt Hancock wanted to announce a new Covid variant to "frighten the pants off everyone", leaked WhatsApp messages have revealed.

The messages, which were leaked to the Telegraph, were sent and received by ex-Health Secretary Matt Hancock during the coronavirus crisis.

Hancock and his team were discussing the looming realisation that then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson's planned five-day Christmas amnesty would likely have to be scrapped.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.