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Jacob Rees-Mogg has admitted a Covid-19 test for his son was couriered to his home during a national shortage.

He accepted it might be deemed "special treatment" but defended the arrangement due to his workload as a cabinet minister at the time.

WhatsApp messages leaked to the Telegraph appear to show former health secretary Matt Hancock's adviser helped send the test in September 2020.

The Telegraph has obtained more than 100,000 of Mr Hancock's messages.

The paper has published messages it says were sent on 10 September, 2020 by Allan Nixon, Mr Hancock's political special adviser at the time.

One suggests an initial test for one of Mr Rees-Mogg's children had been lost by the laboratory.

It goes on to say "we've got a courier going to their family home tonight, child will take the test, and courier will take it straight to the lab. Should have result tomorrow am".

Responding on his GB News chat show on Wednesday, Mr Rees-Mogg said "one of my children needed a test and that put everybody into quarantine".