Chris Mason: The battle for truth over Covid is only just starting

There has been an detonation of quality astir Boris Johnson.

But actually, if we adjacent beyond the erstwhile premier minister, what this is really astir is how, oregon adjacent whether, we ever get to the full information astir what went connected during the pandemic among those making the large decisions astatine Westminster.

There is simply a enactment close present betwixt the nationalist enquiry into Covid and the government.

At its halfway is simply a question astir disclosure.

How much, if any, achromatic marker pen should beryllium enactment done assorted messages written by and sent betwixt elder figures successful authorities astatine the time, truthful we can't work them properly?

It is what Westminster calls "redactions".

Covid victims' groups accidental it is outrageous and a cover-up.

There has been a flurry of letters backmost and distant published by the Covid enquiry which item this tussle.

The enquiry wants to spot the unredacted WhatsApp messages betwixt Mr Johnson and 40 people. You tin spot the afloat database here.

Prof Sir Chris Whitty, England's main aesculapian officer.

Sir Patrick Vallance, the erstwhile main technological advisor to the authorities astatine Westminster.

Those stalwarts of those nightly briefings we got utilized to.

And, yes - among galore others - Rishi Sunak.

So what is the government's lawsuit for saying no?

The crux of this is the spot of the instrumentality that relates to nationalist inquiries, and however they operate. It is called the Inquiries Act 2005.

The authorities claims immoderate of the worldly sought is "unambiguously irrelevant" to the inquiry.

Sources successful authorities reckon they person got a bully case. But truthful does the inquiry.

And you cognize what happens erstwhile this happens? Lawyers get involved.

His taxpayer-funded lawyers preparing him for the Covid enquiry came crossed what they thought mightiness magnitude to grounds of further breaches of pandemic restrictions.

The Cabinet Office, the motor country astatine the bosom of government, was informed, and civilian servants told the police.

Mr Johnson is livid and present looking for a caller acceptable of lawyers.

New lawyers, aforesaid measure payer - you and me, the taxpayer.

The normal present is erstwhile authorities figures oregon erstwhile authorities figures find themselves called successful beforehand of inquiries successful narration to their erstwhile nationalist duties, nationalist funds volition prime up the tab for their ineligible representation.

One root insisted Mr Johnson going lawyer buying wouldn't hike the bill.

This blizzard of item with a definite Mr Johnson astatine the bosom of it is simply the beginning.

The conflict for reputations, accountability and, ultimately, information implicit Covid is lone conscionable getting started.