Government by WhatsApp ? Transparency, Secrecy and Avoidance during Covid in the UK

Abstract

It has been claimed repeatedly that transparency undermines decision‐making. The fear of disclosure means officials and politicians may not discuss policy fully, are inhibited from giving frank advice, and could avoid proper record keeping. The use of informal communications—particularly the use of WhatsApp—makes all these tensions more likely, as decisions are made outside formal structures. This article uses data from the official UK Covid‐19 Inquiry (established in 2021 and chaired by Baroness Heather Hallett) to examine the stresses between informal communications methods and transparency. It examines the use of informal communications, drawing on primary written evidence and testimony from the Inquiry, as well as searchable documents, supported by secondary reporting and broader research. The evidence from the Inquiry is somewhat mixed in relation to fullness, frankness and keeping of records. There are clear signs that informal communications meant policy was not properly thought out and decisions were often made in a casual, unofficial manner. Although there was little sign of a lack of frankness or candour, the very informality made communications more potentially embarrassing or dangerous for politicians, creating stronger incentives to delete or hide them.