A panel holding Covid-19 public inquiry in the UK may finally get its hands on former Prime Minister Boris Johnson's iPhone. According to Financial Times, Mr Johnson had forgotten the code to unlock his old device, which he stopped using in May 2021. Mr Johnson used the device during the pandemic, and it likely to contain messages (including WhatsApp) relating to the announcement of lockdowns in 2020. There were fears that a botched attempt at unlocking the iPhone could lead it to be being disabled, erasing key messages.
But now, the government has worked out what the password to his phone is, the Financial Times report further said. Mr Johnson had earlier said that he has a "hazy memory" of the PIN number for his old phone.
One of his allies told the newspaper, "It's not true that Boris doesn't remember his PIN number, it's just that he doesn't have 100 per cent confidence he remembers it."
"Separately, the government has found its own version of the PIN number," the ally added.
Politico said that the password will be keyed in by government-appointed "technical experts" rather than Mr Johnson himself.
The former UK Prime Minister has made it clear that he is willing to share messages on his old phone with the inquiry, provided the device can be safely turned on.
The messages on his iPhone will cover periods when the pandemic was at its height and could prove to be a valuable resource for the inquiry, chaired by Baroness Heather Hallett, said FT.
