RISHI SUNAK insisted today that he is helping the Covid-19 inquiry “expansively” after it was revealed that he could not provide potentially vital WhatsApp messages.

The Prime Minister, who was chancellor at the time and involved in major decisions about lockdowns, face masks and the Eat Out to Help Out scheme, claimed that he did not have access to messages sent and received during the pandemic.

He blamed changing handsets “a number of times” since the early days of the pandemic for being unable to provide potentially important evidence.