A minister has suggested the Government will “probably” lose its legal challenge against the official Covid inquiry over the disclosure of Boris Johnson’s unredacted WhatsApp messages and diaries. 

George Freeman, the science minister, said he believed it was “quite likely that the courts will rule that Baroness Hallett [the Covid inquiry chairwoman] will decide what evidence” she wants and is entitled to see. 

He told the BBC’s Question Time programme: “In the end this is a judicial decision, it’ll be taken by the courts and I happen to think the courts will probably take the view that Baroness Hallett who is running the inquiry is perfectly entitled and empowered to decide what evidence she wants.”  

The Government is seeking a judicial review of the inquiry’s request for the Cabinet Office to hand over unredacted messages and diaries. 

The Cabinet Office has argued it should not have to hand over material which is “unambiguously irrelevant”.

Mr Johnson, in his own letter to the inquiry yesterday, said he was “more than happy” to hand over the requested material directly.

The judicial review is viewed in Whitehall as an important test case which will set the precedent for future evidence disclosure to the inquiry relating to other ministers and officials. 

The legal challenge promoted accusations from critics of time wasting amid fears the battle in the courts will delay the inquiry’s work.

You can follow the latest updates below.