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Whitehall Leak Inquiry Launched After Lockdown News 'Briefed'
A Whitehall leak inquiry has been launched after details of the government’s proposals to introduce a second national lockdown were reported by newspapers.
The Times said the prime minister met with chancellor Rishi Sunak, Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove and health secretary Matt Hancock to discuss “alarming” new pandemic data on Friday, and that he was expected to hold a press conference on Monday.
Other papers – including The Daily Mail and The Sun – also reported that Boris Johnson was preparing to introduce a national lockdown next week.
It is understood that Downing Street has now launched an investigation to find the source of the story, amid reports that the government had wanted to keep the plan quiet until Monday.
Sky News has reported that cabinet ministers are planning to meet on Saturday afternoon for a briefing by government scientific advisers.
A cabinet meeting has been called for this afternoon where ministers will be briefed by government scientific advisers after Downing Street launched a leak inquiry following details of a meeting between the Prime Minister and key cabinet members being disclosed to journalists.
— Sky News Breaking (@SkyNewsBreak) October 31, 2020
The alleged “briefing” of the story to journalists sparked criticism from the chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales, claiming it had increased pressure on the emergency services.
John Apter, head of the organisation which represents more than 120,000 rank-and-file officers, called for “clear communication” on coronavirus measures.
He tweeted on Saturday morning: “To those briefing selective media on a potential national lockdown please understand the impact this has.
“It creates a media frenzy, causes confusion and ahead of any official announcement encourages some to make the most of their pre-lockdown time. This is not a good mix,”
He added: “This can add immense pressure to the 999 services who are already struggling with the demand they...
