George Osborne has said “disgusting” and “misogynistic” WhatsApp messages sent during Boris Johnson’s time in office will be revealed at the Covid inquiry next week.
The former Conservative chancellor said the language used by Johnson and top advisers including Dominic Cummings was “shocking”.
Osborne was speaking on the podcast he hosts with former Labour shadow chancellor Ed Balls.
“I think we are going to get some pretty astonishing and frankly shocking WhatsApp messages and the like being published from the Johnson period,” he said.
“Which will show people just what a complete nightmare it was for many people working in No.10 and who worked the top of the government at the time.”
Osborne said the revelations were likely to “cause some real problems” for the people running the county during the pandemic.
“Get ready for some pretty shocking messages,” he said.
“From what I understand some pretty staggering things have been said on those WhatsApp messages, by not just Boris Johnson, but by key advisers like Dominic Cummings, really disgusting language and misogynistic language.”
It comes ahead of Cummings’ appearance at the Covid inquiry next week.
Lee Cain, who served as Johnson’s director of communications, is due to give evidence.
As is Martin Reynolds, the former principal private secretary to the then PM, who was dubbed “party Marty” during the partygate scandal.