Sir David Omand , who ran the UK intelligence agency before becoming permanent secretary of the Home Office and the Cabinet Office, criticised the way government was conducted in the pandemic and said future crises should be handled with "proper process".
Speaking in evidence to a new parliamentary inquiry and as the UK heads into a general election year, Omand said the complexities and nuances of "any decent strategic analysis ... cannot be conveyed in a WhatsApp exchange".
His intervention will put pressure on the government to ensure decisions are properly made and recorded. It will also fuel calls for Labour, which is ahead in the polls, to set out its plans.
Keir Starmer's party has pledged to overhaul the government ethics system and improve transparency but has not set out how it would rethink Whitehall's decision-making process and the business of government.
The inquiry into strategic thinking in government was ordered in the wake of the pandemic by the liaison committee, which holds the prime minister to account.
Omand, who is also a professor of war studies and senior adviser to a cyber-investment company, said ministers and officials often engaged in "gossip" and "informal exchanges" as they gathered for cabinet meetings, which helped them let off steam.
He said: "It is understandable that WhatsApp messages might fulfil a comparable function during lockdowns that limited much face-to-face contact.
"But to judge by the evidence now made public by the Covid-19 inquiry such exchanges (leaving aside the vile misogyny) had become the foreground means of forcing outcomes, not just sharing background mood music. That Covid rationale no longer applies, if it ever did. It is essential to have a proper decision-making process if we are to survive a crisis in good order."
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der December 27, 2023-Ausgabe von The Guardian.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent ? Anmelden
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der December 27, 2023-Ausgabe von The Guardian.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
Lammers blow against United as Twente hit back to share spoils
When Manchester United click as they did here for large swathes, their attack features organised chaos and their defence is compact, as shown by their four clean sheets this season.
Cricket: Jacks stakes his claim in crowded top order
It was a breakthrough century for Harry Brook at Chester-le-Street, that sublime unbeaten 110 his first in oneday international cricket and a first against Australia in any format. But the contribution from Will Jacks was not insignificant either, especially given the potential squeeze when some of England's big guns return.
Top football clubs breaking betting advert rules meant to protect minors
Half of Premier League football clubs have advertised gambling on web pages aimed at, or featuring, people under the age of 18, prompting concern about a voluntary code of conduct drawn up with the help of the betting industry.
Economic inactivity: Why cutting NHS waiting lists is key to boosting growth
Wes Streeting was in the right place when he announced plans to prioritise cutting NHS waiting lists in areas with the highest numbers of people out of work due to ill health. Liverpool, where the health secretary was speaking at Labour's annual party conference yesterday, is top of the list.
UK growth forecast upgraded as global outlook improves
The global economy is \"turning a corner\", according to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, which yesterday upgraded the UK's growth forecast for this year to be faster than that of Japan, Italy and Germany.
World's first AI art museum to look at 'creative potential of machines'
A prominent AI artist has announced he will open the world's first artificial intelligence art museum in Los Angeles, which will highlight the \"intersection of human imagination and the creative potential of machines\".
Officials brief Trump on suspected Iranian plot to kill him
US intelligence officials have briefed Donald Trump about a suspected Iranian plot to kill him, his campaign has said.
EU trust fund for Africa 'has not addressed risks of abuse'
A €5bn EU fund aiming to stem the mass movement of people from Africa to Europe lacks focus and fails to address the risk of human rights abusers who could benefit, the bloc's spending watchdog has found.
Letby case: father tells of 'headless chickens' at hospital unit
The father of two triplet babies murdered by Lucy Letby has described frantic scenes as the children collapsed, with medical staff in a neonatal unit appearing to search online for tutorials to guide them through \"everyday\" medical procedures.
Music review: Monster hits perfectly reshaped by new female vocalist
Linkin Park laid the foundations for modern metal with their 2000 debut Hybrid Theory. They weren't the first band to bring together rock, hip-hop, electronic music and a whole lot of angst - but they were the most successful.
