Boris Johnson latest: Inquiry will vindicate me over Partygate breaches, says ex-PM

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Artificial intelligence systems like ChatGPT could play a role in Whitehall, the new science secretary has suggested.

Michelle Donelan, recently appointed Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, told the Sunday telegraph that ChatGPT presented a “huge opportunity” in a broader sense.

Ms Donelan, who assumed the new role after Rishi Sunak’s department reshuffle last month, said the civil service should rely on its own experts but did not rule out a future role for artificial intelligence.

ChatGPT, which has been making headlines in recent weeks, is a form of generative AI that gained traction after a version of it was released to the public last year.

It can respond to questions and understand the context of follow-up questions in a human-like manner, similar to human conversations, and compose long texts on request.

“I think this type of technology is going to create a whole host of new jobs in areas we haven’t even thought of, and where that takes us is limitless. We need to tap into that,” Ms. Donelan said.

“Of course we need regulation, we need protective measures. But we should never be afraid of these technologies. We should embrace them and use them so they can lead to job creation here in the UK.”

When asked about its use in the public sector, she said: “We need to think about what the use of ChatGPT is, just like any other organization would.

“I think those are things that we need to look at — I think if we’re looking at all forms of technology, we shouldn’t think about how this replaces someone’s work or how this replaces a person’s functions.”

The leaked WhatsApp messages published by the Daily Telegraph show how Mr Hancock’s former assistant Jamie Njoku-Goodwin lashed out at Mr Cummings on the same day he used a hearing in the Parliamentary Committee to describe the Department of Health and Social Care as being reduced to a “smoking ruin” by the pandemic.

Mr Hancock wrote: “How would you deal with that Cummings crap?”

His former adviser replied: “I was about to send a message. What a damn piece of s-. You went out and supported him about Barnard Castle and he responds by relentlessly informing you, privately and now publicly. He is a psychotherapist.”

He quickly corrects himself: “Psychopath.”

Sue Gray could wait longer than usual before being allowed to take up a position as Sir Keir Starmer’s chief of staff.

The Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (Acoba), the body responsible for reviewing posts held by ex-officials and politicians, is considering whether Ms Gray’s assumption of the post could undermine the perception of the impartiality of the government, according to a report by The Times would affect public service.

Acoba may suggest that she take up to two years of gardening leave before taking the job.

Ms Gray’s decision to work for Labor has sparked a firestorm of controversy over whether it undermines the credibility of her report on Partygate, which helped oust Boris Johnson.

Ministers also fear they will find it harder to trust officials following Ms Gray’s decision.

Some have also suggested Ms Gray broke rules by having unauthorized meetings with Labor about the job.

It is believed Sir Simon Case was unaware of Ms Gray’s decision until Sky News broke the story on Wednesday. However, Ms Gray had reportedly unsuccessfully requested to meet Mr Case last week.

Dominic Cummings’ time at Downing Street was a “nightmare,” Rishi Sunak appeared to tell Matt Hancock, according to the latest leaked WhatsApp messages.

The remarks, made on the day the former No10 adviser used an appearance before MPs to claim thousands of people had died needlessly during the pandemic, show how the then-Chancellor and Mr Hancock felt about Mr Complain to Cummings.

Mr Hancock wrote to Mr Sunak: “Of all the craziness about Dom’s circus, what I enjoy most is that he is doing this to secure his place at the heart of the future Sunak government.”

Mr Sunak, seen as aspiring for the top job in 2021, said: “Ha! Ironically, I haven’t spoken to him since he left!”

“It’s just awful and a stark reminder of how hard it was to govern,” replies Mr Hancock.

Mr Sunak agrees: “It has been such a difficult time for all of us. A nightmare I hope we never have to repeat.”

The latest tranche of leaked WhatsApp messages shows Matt Hancock was hoping the pandemic could raise his political profile and improve his political standing.

In a message, Hancock shared some thoughts that appear to have been conveyed to him by a “wise friend.” “A crisis of this magnitude, handled well, could catapult you into the next league and break public perception of you.”

Hancock also showed a keen interest in managing social media, according to reports, sharing more than 22,000 messages about editing or approving posts The Telegraph.

This included a debate on whether or not posting a topless picture of him surfing was good for his image. He suggested consulting Gina Coladangelo, his assistant with whom he was having an affair.

Labor Party leader Anneliese Dodds has said voters should not foot the bill for Boris Johnson’s legal fees arising from investigations into Partygate.

Friday’s dramatic report on whether Mr Johnson lied to Parliament about the No 10 lockdown-breaking parties has put the issue back in the spotlight. Previous reports suggest the government could end up paying £220,000 as the inquiry covers Mr Johnson’s tenure, leaving him eligible for his legal fees to be covered.

Speaking to Sky News, Ms Dodds said: “Ultimately, Rishi Sunak should not be supporting Boris Johnson in this way and I think there should be political consequences for Boris Johnson if it turns out he misled Parliament .”

“The ability to impose such a sanction on Boris Johnson is of course in the hands of Rishi Sunak as leader of the Conservative Party. I just hope he has the backbone to ensure action is taken.”

“The evidence strongly suggests that breaches of policy would have been apparent to Mr Johnson at the time he was at meetings,” said a report on whether Boris Johnson misled Parliament.

According to the report, Mr Johnson even remarked that a leaving party in the middle of the pandemic at No 10 was “probably the most anti-socially distanced gathering in the UK right now”.

Boris Johnson suggested on Friday that the Privileges Committee’s inquiry into whether he lied to Parliament could be compromised as he will use evidence collected from Sue Gray, the former civil servant who is now set to become Keir Starmer’s chief of staff.

In a statement, Mr Johnson said: “It is surreal to discover that the committee is proposing to rely on evidence collected and orchestrated by Sue Gray, who has just been appointed chief of staff to the Labor Party leader.

“This is of particular concern given that the Committee is proposing to rely on ‘the findings of the Second Permanent Secretary’s report’ as ‘relevant facts which the Committee will consider’.

“I leave it to others to decide how much trust to place in her investigation and the reports she has produced.”

A spokesman for the committee, however, dismissed those criticisms, saying the findings in his report were “not based on the Sue Gray report” but on government testimonies and evidence, including witnesses, WhatsApps, emails and pictures from a photographer of Downing Street.