Ping! It’s day three of the ‘Lockdown Files’ and a whole new tranche of former Health Secretary Matt Hancock’s WhastApp messages has just landed. Mr Steerpike has taken a look at what the Telegraph released last night:

1. Matt Hancock said ‘we are going to get heavy with the police’

A worried Hancock told Cabinet Secretary Simon Case that the police needed to get a grip on mandating lockdown restrictions. Somewhat concerningly, the head of the civil service asked Hancock ‘who actually is delivering enforcement?’ 

2. Case found hotel quarantine ‘hilarious’

In an attempt at humour, the Cabinet Secretary said he found imagining ‘the faces of people coming out of first class and into a Premier Inn shoe box’ funny. Hancock said they were ‘giving big families all the suites and putting pop stars in the box rooms’. The glee is unsettling. More than 200,000 people were trapped in these cabins with only 15 minutes of exercise allowed a day. Is that funny?

3. Boris enjoyed seeing £10,000 fines being handed out

Hancock sent then prime minister Boris Johnson a news story where a couple were fined £10,000 each for failing to quarantine after returning from Dubai. Johnson’s reply? ‘Superb.’

4. Ministers’ glee following Piers Morgan’s sacking from ITV’s Good Morning Britain

Social care minister Helen Whately suggested to Hancock that they ‘celebrate’ Morgan’s dismissal after a meeting. Hancock was also told by advisers to wish Morgan well when he got Covid, since it would be ‘classy’.

5. Ministers wondered whether they could prosecute Nigel Farage

Matt Hancock asked his advisers to contact the Home Office to see if they were looking into Nigel Farage not complying with quarantine rules. One aide said: ‘Does he count as a pub hooligan? Can we lock him up?’

Part four of the lockdown files will be on the way shortly, Mr S hopes!