No10 Refuses to Release Keir Starmer WhatsApp Information Despite Labour Transparency Pledge
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The Prime Minister's Office has declined to reveal how many WhatsApp messages sent or received by Keir Starmer over a four-day period were saved for the public record.
Their refusal of a Freedom of Information (FOI) by Byline Times raises questions about the Labour Government leader's promise - before he took power - that he would make it "easier to hold government to account" and end the "outrageous way government departments refuse freedom of information requests".
In its response, the Cabinet Office explained that fulfilling the request would involve a manual review of all records from the specified period to identify whether any messages originated via WhatsApp. It said the cost of retrieving and reviewing the relevant data between 7 and 10 December 2024 would be too great and that the department's records are organised by subject matter, not by communication medium.
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The refusal comes after years of mounting concerns, widely reported by this paper, about the use of private communication platforms for official government business.
WhatsApp, alongside other secure messaging services, became an increasingly popular tool to communicate for both ministers and civil servants under the Conservative Party. But their use raises serious questions about transparency, record-keeping, and accountability. At the time, Labour seemed to agree that the Conservative's use of WhatsApp had gone too far.
In 2021, Starmer wrote an essay saying: "Where the current Tory government has muddied the waters of transparency on the … things it does, I want to make it easier to hold government to account… That means everything from ending the outrageous way government departments refuse freedom of information requests."
In the same year, Labour's deputy leader, Angela Rayner, declared that ministers "must not govern by private messages that are then deleted". She said at the time that "this is completely undemocratic and an attack on transparency and accountability".
Between 7 and 10 December 2024, Starmer engaged in significant diplomatic activities and policy decisions. He embarked on a diplomatic tour to the Middle East, visiting the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Cyprus.
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To support its work, subscribe to the monthly Byline Times print edition, packed with exclusive investigations, news, and analysis.
Help us build the better media Britain deserves
The Prime Minister's Office has declined to reveal how many WhatsApp messages sent or received by Keir Starmer over a four-day period were saved for the public record.
Their refusal of a Freedom of Information (FOI) by Byline Times raises questions about the Labour Government leader's promise - before he took power - that he would make it "easier to hold government to account" and end the "outrageous way government departments refuse freedom of information requests".
In its response, the Cabinet Office explained that fulfilling the request would involve a manual review of all records from the specified period to identify whether any messages originated via WhatsApp. It said the cost of retrieving and reviewing the relevant data between 7 and 10 December 2024 would be too great and that the department's records are organised by subject matter, not by communication medium.
EXCLUSIVE
'Peter Mandelson's Fixing of Keir Starmer's Visit to Spytech Firm Palantir Raises Serious Questions'
Palantir was represented by a lobbying firm founded by Mandelson, Iain Overton and Max Colbert report
Iain Overton and Max Colbert
The refusal comes after years of mounting concerns, widely reported by this paper, about the use of private communication platforms for official government business.
WhatsApp, alongside other secure messaging services, became an increasingly popular tool to communicate for both ministers and civil servants under the Conservative Party. But their use raises serious questions about transparency, record-keeping, and accountability. At the time, Labour seemed to agree that the Conservative's use of WhatsApp had gone too far.
In 2021, Starmer wrote an essay saying: "Where the current Tory government has muddied the waters of transparency on the … things it does, I want to make it easier to hold government to account… That means everything from ending the outrageous way government departments refuse freedom of information requests."
In the same year, Labour's deputy leader, Angela Rayner, declared that ministers "must not govern by private messages that are then deleted". She said at the time that "this is completely undemocratic and an attack on transparency and accountability".
Between 7 and 10 December 2024, Starmer engaged in significant diplomatic activities and policy decisions. He embarked on a diplomatic tour to the Middle East, visiting the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Cyprus.
'Keir Starmer's Weaponisation of Foreign National Crime Statistics Risks Stoking Violence and Empowering the Far Right'
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