Isabel Oakeshott leaks Matt Hancock pandemic messages to The Telegraph

Political journalist and television commentator Isabel Oakeshott has ignited a major political storm in Westminster by leaking a vast collection of private WhatsApp messages to The Telegraph, according to reporting by londondaily.com. The leaked correspondence involves former Health Secretary Matt Hancock and spans his tenure managing the United Kingdom's response to the coronavirus pandemic. Oakeshott gained access to the messages while working as a ghostwriter and collaborator on Hancock's memoir, The Pandemic Diaries. According to londondaily.com, Oakeshott defended her decision to disclose the archive on the basis of assisting the current public inquiry into the UK's preparedness, describing the texts as vital historical records and calling for urgent answers. She maintained that a great deal of material overwhelmingly in the public interest and pertinent to the public inquiry had been suppressed from the published book.

Hancock and his representatives responded with sharp criticism directed at both the journalist and the newspaper. According to londondaily.com, Hancock's team stated that the coverage was wrong and based on partial, spun leaks, while also complaining that neither Oakeshott nor The Telegraph approached the former cabinet minister for comment prior to publication.

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Isabel Oakeshott: the political journalist who turned on Matt Hancock - London Daily

Before the memoir's release, Oakeshott had expressed complicated views regarding her subject and his handling of the crisis. As reported by londondaily.com, she questioned aspects of his behavior, including his decision to appear on a reality television programme shortly before publication. In an interview on This Morning cited by londondaily.com, Oakeshott noted that Hancock had consulted her about the appearance, remarking:

"He did ask me what I thought and whether I thought it was a good idea. Obviously I presented the pros and cons. Before I knew it, he had disappeared off to Australia. So I think this was a pretty last minute decision."

Isabel Oakeshott, via londondaily.com

She added in the same interview coverage that Hancock seemingly wanted people to see a different side of his personality. However, writing in The Spectator shortly after the book's launch, Oakeshott noted that she and Hancock had almost nothing in common and fundamentally disagreed over his handling of the pandemic. Explaining her decision to collaborate despite these disagreements, she wrote that aligning with a key player offered the best way to uncover the driving forces and thinking behind key policies and decisions. As reported by londondaily.com, she noted she might not get the whole truth and nothing but the truth, but would secure a good dollop of it and a keen sense of anything murky requiring further investigation.

Oakeshott's career in British journalism spans numerous prominent roles across print and broadcast media. According to londondaily.com, she co-authored the 2015 unauthorised biography of David Cameron titled Call Me Dave alongside Lord Ashcroft. Her career also includes serving as political editor-at-large for The Daily Mail and appearing as a panellist on the BBC’s Daily Politics programme, before transitioning into broadcast roles with GB News and TalkTV.

Away from political journalism, recent personal events involving Oakeshott have drawn public attention. According to reports detailed by thethedailybritain.co.uk, Oakeshott married Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice on Saturday 17 October at the Chapel of St Mary Undercroft in the Palace of Westminster. The ceremony was followed by a reception at the Shard in London attended by approximately 70 friends and family members, with the couple having first met through their involvement in the Brexit campaign.

The wedding reception subsequently attracted widespread commentary following claims made on social media by former Sun editor Kelvin MacKenzie. According to thethedailybritain.co.uk, MacKenzie alleged that broadcaster Mike Graham arrived late at the reception and became involved in an impromptu speech and a subsequent struggle over a microphone with former Reform UK chairman David Bull. MacKenzie claimed that Reform leader Nigel Farage observed the episode by telling fellow guests that Mike was out of control, though the reports were based on accounts from guests rather than direct observations by MacKenzie, and no independent evidence or confirmation from those involved has emerged.

As the fallout from the leaked pandemic messages continues to resonate across political and media circles, observers await further developments regarding how the official public inquiry will incorporate the newly revealed material into its ongoing investigations.