The Lockdown Files

In January 2023, reporters at the Telegraph are called into a meeting. The newspaper has got something big.Matt Hancock’s Whatsapps from when he was the Health Secretary, during the pandemic: 100,000 messages. The reporters start digging.Archive used in this episode from: The Sun, BBC, Channel 4, Sky News, Good Morning Britain, The Telegraph. Read more about the Lockdown Files here: www.telegraph.co.uk/news/lockdown-files |For 30 days’ free access to The Telegraph: www.telegraph.co.uk/lockdownfilespodcast |If you have any information that could help the investigation, you can email the team on lockdownfiles@telegraph.co.uk |See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Investigations team looks back on the early days of the pandemic. How prepared was the government? Was lockdown inevitable? But they hit a stumbling block - they may have 100,000 messages, but there’s a gap in March. So the team decide that if they can’t read where those key decisions were made, they’d do the next best thing: speak to people who were in the room where it happenedArchive used in this episode from: France Info, Sky News, BBC. Read more about the Lockdown Files here: www.telegraph.co.uk/news/lockdown-files |For 30 days’ free access to The Telegraph: www.telegraph.co.uk/lockdownfilespodcast |If you have any information that could help the investigation, you can email the team on lockdownfiles@telegraph.co.uk |See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Tens of thousands of care home residents died during the pandemic. Many people see it as the government’s biggest failure. Matt Hancock’s Whatsapp messages lifted the lid on conversations behind key decisions. But it wasn’t just the messages which were revealing… The team behind the Lockdown Files unearths new documents suggesting an unnerving offer made to care homes in Durham and Birmingham. Archive used in this episode from: BBC, Sky News, ITV, The Telegraph. Read more about the Lockdown Files here: www.telegraph.co.uk/news/lockdown-files |For 30 days’ free access to The Telegraph: www.telegraph.co.uk/lockdownfilespodcast |If you have any information that could help the investigation, you can email the team on lockdownfiles@telegraph.co.uk |See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Is it ever ok to scare the public?In this episode, the reporters dig into leaked messages which show a discussion between Matt Hancock and one of his team. They say “We frighten the pants off everyone with the new strain” and “When do we deploy the new variant”. The exchanges speak to a so-called “Project Fear”, which prompts the team to ask government ministers about whether decisions made were the right ones… We also speak to the adviser behind some of the government's messaging… And to a mum whose children are still dealing with the fall out tells her family’s story.  Archive used in this episode from: Sky News, The Telegraph, Parliament TV, the Covid inquiry, The Sun.Read more about the Lockdown Files here: www.telegraph.co.uk/news/lockdown-files |For 30 days’ free access to The Telegraph: www.telegraph.co.uk/lockdownfilespodcast |If you have any information that could help the investigation, you can email the team on lockdownfiles@telegraph.co.uk |See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the face of major disasters, it is perhaps inevitable that there will be missteps. And when the dust settles, people are asked to account for their actions. How is history going to judge the government’s response to COVID?In this last episode of the Lockdown Files podcast, the investigations team at the Telegraph investigates potential mistakes at the heart of the pandemic response.Shutting schools, a lack of oversight with financial support and questions over whether lockdown would ever happen in the same way again.Finally, the team catches up with the latest news from the public inquiry and hears from a relative of someone who died as they watch the evidence unfold.Archive used in this episode from: BBC, The Telegraph. the Covid inquiry, Good Morning Britain. Read more about the Lockdown Files here: www.telegraph.co.uk/news/lockdown-files |For 30 days’ free access to The Telegraph: www.telegraph.co.uk/lockdownfilespodcast |If you have any information that could help the investigation, you can email the team on lockdownfiles@telegraph.co.uk |See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In January 2021, the first Oxford-Astrazeneca vaccines made their way into people’s arms. By mid-march, 11 million people had received the jab.After successive lockdowns, it felt like a way out. But now, more than two years on, storm clouds are gathering.Today, 80 of them are preparing to sue Astrazeneca. They say that until now, no one has wanted to hear their stories. So we’re telling them.Find out more: ‘We were told the vaccine was safe - but what happened has been life-changing’Archive used in this episode from: BBC, Sky News, 10 Downing Street.Read more about the Lockdown Files here: www.telegraph.co.uk/news/lockdown-files |For 30 days’ free access to The Telegraph: www.telegraph.co.uk/lockdownfilespodcast |If you have any information that could help the investigation, you can email the team on lockdownfiles@telegraph.co.uk |