Investigation underway after official UK Civil Service account sends tweet branding government 'truth twisters'

An investigation has been launched after a tweet on the official UK Civil Service account branded the government “arrogant and offensive” and “truth twisters”.

The tweet was shared thousands of times before it was eventually deleted.

It was sent from the Civil Service account about 20 minutes after the conclusion of Sunday’s Downing Street press conference, in which Boris Johnson defended his chief adviser Dominic Cummings for breaking lockdown restrictions.

The tweet said: “Arrogant and offensive.

“Can you imagine having to work with these truth twisters?”

It had been retweeted more than 16,000 times and had reportedly received more than 30,000 likes before it was then deleted just after 6pm.

It is not known whether the account was hacked or whether the tweet was sent from somebody running it.

A UK Government spokesman said an investigation had been launched into the tweet.

The spokesman said: “An unauthorised tweet was posted on a Government channel this evening.

“The post has been removed and we are investigating the matter.”

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