Boris Johnson, Matt Hancock and Lord Bethell have all been reportedly using private email accounts or WhatsApp for Government business, discussing matters of national importance – from the spread of Covid-19 in care homes to the award of lucrative Government contracts. 

But why would Ministers choose to use personal accounts rather than official channels?

They seem to believe this is a loophole to avoid scrutiny. If politicians think they can evade oversight from the Courts or dodge Freedom of Information requests by using private email and WhatsApp, the question becomes what have they got to hide?

Government does have a policy in place about the use of private email, but we don’t think it is fit for purpose – not least because it fails to set out when and why it would ever be acceptable for politicians to use their own accounts. And it seems unlikely the policy is being followed in any event, because there’s no evidence that steps are generally being taken to ensure that information held by Ministers on private emails or WhatsApp is recorded on Government systems. 

We don’t just think this situation is wrong, we believe it’s unlawful. It flies in the face of Government’s legal obligations to preserve official records, and undermines its ability to comply with freedom of information requests and the duty of candour required by the Courts. 

We are taking legal action. We have instructed Joseph Barrett and Rupert Paines of 11KBW and Rook Irwin Sweeney. You can read the Pre Action Protocol letter here. 

If we are successful, we could force Government to put in place proper policies to close this accountability gap for good. If you believe that Government business should be conducted transparently, please consider donating to this legal challenge.

England is an international outlier in trans healthcare – but sadly, not in a good way. 

With just one NHS gender identity service for young people serving the whole of England, and only a handful of centres for adults, it’s almost impossible for people to get the treatment and support they are entitled to. 

Legally, patients should have a first appointment at a clinic within 18 weeks of a GP referral. But hardly any do. Children are waiting on average 18 months, but some are waiting as long as three years. And some adults referred in October 2017 are only just having their first appointment now – four years later. Waiting lists stretch into the thousands. 

Such long waits mean trans adolescents are missing the short window of time in which puberty blockers are useful. Without them, their bodies will change in ways that they know they will have to live with for the rest of their lives. 

To force teenagers to contemplate this, when a safe treatment is available which would give them breathing space to think, is unimaginably cruel. No wonder it correlates closely with increased suicide risks or self-harm. No wonder some feel they have no choice but to self-medicate with drugs purchased on the dark web. 

While adults don’t face the same ‘window of opportunity’, the denial of corrective treatment restricts the lives they are able to lead and has hugely harmful consequences for mental and physical health.

Delays have been getting worse and worse for some time. This cannot continue.

Back in November 2020, we began a challenge to the waiting times young people faced for first appointments. This was put on hold while we worked on the Bell appeal, but now that legally flawed and inhumane decision has been overturned we are picking up where we left off.

We are supporting two adults, Eva and Alex, as well as two young people to take cases against NHS England for these unlawful delays. 

We’ve asked NHS England to explain why they are failing to meet their legal obligation to ensure patients are seen within 18 weeks, and to set out the steps they are taking to secure alternative provision and bring waiting lists down. We don’t think they are doing enough, so are launching full legal proceedings.

The bottom line is waits for treatment are leading to the loss of lives and things are getting worse, not better. This cannot continue unchecked. 

If you are in a position to do so, you can donate to the legal action here.