Government work often done on WhatsApp during Covid, says top official

Statement comes as it emerges that series of messages lost from Boris Johnson's phone in April 2021

Communication within government during the pandemic was often by instant messaging, such as by WhatsApp, a senior Cabinet Office official has accepted, as it emerged that a series of messages have been lost from Boris Johnson's phone.

The messages were lost in April 2021 amid security precautions when it was found that the prime minister's phone number was listed on the internet, according to a statement by Sarah Harrison, chief operating officer at the Cabinet Office.