The Molehill

Whitehall ‘riddled with 30 possible leakers’ as PM uses antique phone

- Nigel Nelson

UP to 30 possible Whitehall moles could have had access to the text messages that have embroiled Boris Johnson in a fresh round of sleaze allegations.

New Prime Ministers are meant to switch to secure Government-issue iPhones the moment they enter No10.

But Mr Johnson insists on keeping the phone he has used for 10 years.

Last week private texts between Boris Johnson and vacuum cleaner tycoon Sir James Dyson sent during the first wave of the pandemic were made public.

A source revealed that the Dyson texts would have been shared with 20 to 30 senior Government figures.

Sir James, whose company HQ is in Singapore, wanted reassurance there would be no adverse tax implications from providing ventilators to the NHS.

That means Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Health Secretary Matt Hancock are likely to have seen the texts.

Mr Johnson’s stubborn refusal to give up his private phone is also putting national security at risk, according to security expert Philip Ingram.