The folly of Damien McBride

Did someone hack into  Derek Draper's e-mails?

Other explanations seem unlikely. Paul Staines hinted that it was a Labour source 'with a conscience'. A Labour source 'with a grievance' against Draper and McBride is more likely. The ineffable Charles Clarke was first to demand retribution in his quest to settle old scores with McBride. But it is very unlikely that anyone who was not trusted would have had sight of the e-mails.

Some of my readers might have more information than I have on whether hacking into e-mails is possible. If so, it suggests an  anti-Government source. Surely not the Tories who preach against the horrors of the surveillance society?

The cruel remarks about Tory women should not have been written. But malicious bitchy comments are the currency of chat in private conversations in all parties. That is what McBride and Draper thought they doing, chatting in private.

The publication of the accusations of the names were made by the leakers and the newspapers who gleefully printed the the full details today.  None of them hesitated to print the identities and the full salacious innuendoes. Nor is their confirmation on whether money changed hands. It usually does.

Derek Draper has been an embarrassment to the Labour Party in the past as he pursued his career as a lobbyist. His motives in established Labourlist are benign to the  Labour Party's interest. He has apologised today.

The Tories will huff and posture. They will squeeze every dribble of  poison out of the story. It's uncomfortably reminiscent of the last days  of Major with the succession of sex scandals. 

My hunch is that releasing three month-old e-mails is party political plot by Labour's enemies. I wonder what their answer would be to the accusation that the full release has compounded the embarrassment and hurt suffered by those named.

History forgotten

What’s claimed to be a fresh idea is being considered by Newport City Council. It’s not. It’s forward to the past.

The curious arrangement for selecting the deputy one is to allow the mayor to choose. Sometimes it is a very junior member of the council who has no hope of being mayor for many years. The election of mayor has always been done on seniority or Buggins’ turn.

The claimed new idea is having the mayor in waiting to serve as deputy mayor to learn the job. This was the system in Newport until the mid-twenties. An embarrassing incident aroused with an unveiling. A Catholic bishop was officiating and the mayor, a determined Protestant, refused to attend. His deputy was also a protestant and he also refused. The Council decided that the best way to avoid having the two jobs held by people of one religion, a new rule would be introduced that the mayor should select a person of an alternative religion to the mayor.

This is story that the late Councillor John Marsh told me. I may have got some of the details wrong. But the present odd arrangements are for entirely for religious reasons.

Vidblog.

Comments

[Tom Knyvet]

If Derek Draper uses Yahoo for his email, then it's child's play to gain access via Yahoo's password recovery facility. All you need to know is the user's date of birth and postcode. You're presented with a "secret question" set up by the user, but it usually turns out to be their mother's maiden name. This is how Sarah Palin's emails were broken into, by the way.

While not "hacking" as such, it is most definitely illegal. It would be a simple matter for Draper to ask Yahoo to check what IP addresses his account had been accessed from.

[Elaine Robinson]

Hi

Coming a bit late to this discussion but one thing occurs to me. If Gordon had had bad reviews from the G20 I wonder if this leak would have happened?

Elaine

[Paul Flynn]

I have got many reservations about the Aneurin Glyndwr site but it was the ONLY news media that I saw that reported that the BBC apologiesd to Peter Hain for the third time. The most recent for an outrageous comment made on BBC News last week by Guido Fawkes.

[Newport Supporter]

Paul, do you still support the complete and utter rubbish that is aneuringlyndwr.com ? It seems to be a very similar idea to Redrag!

"gobby nats, Bethan Jenkins and Leanne Wood"

"Is that really what Iuean Wyn thinks we need? What a fool."

"Toff Dave and his cronies"

"IT looks like Toff Dave is struggling to shrug off the "nasty party" tag that the Tories have long been lumbered with."

"TOFF Dave and Boy George will probably be taking a break over the Easter recess next week."

"Wake up Toff Dave, you're in bed with right wing crackpots."

"Toff Dave's "key-note" tomorrow"

"Toff Dave's 'progressive' PR goes right at of the window."

"embarrassment to Toff Dave and his Eton-educated cronies."

"Toff Dave & Boy George"

Do you REALLY think that the above is serious political debate? I think it's pathetic! It's time you in the Labour Party grew up. You are fast becoming a complete laughing stock!

[Jolly Roger]

As a regular reader of Guido Fawkes,
And the interesting rumours that he frequently hawks,
He's been hinting for a while that something was up,
To upset Labour's brimful cup.
He makes no bones about what he's got,
Gossip and rumours and the occasional plot.
Conspiracy and tittle-tattle,
To counter political prittle-prattle.

Thanks to Guido we've had the goods,
Of bears actually crapping in the woods.
Hain's expenses, Prescott's adultery
With Tracey Temple, oh, so desultory.
Guido and others provide a neat foil
To political liars who constantly toil,
To spin and confuse and take us for mugs,
It's probably a lot cheaper than mind-control drugs.

The emails came from Number 10,
And were sent to Draper. Ah, but then,
Were copied to Dodgshon and Charlie Whelan.
I'm beginning to get a funny feeling,
That there's more that's yet to meet the test,
Before this matter's put to rest.
It sounds to me, and I pledge my troth,
Like too many crooks spoiling the broth.

You claim that Guido lacks the cash,
On which this story he could splash.
Is it possible, for just a mo'
That someone with integrity was prepared to forgo,
A rich reward for the sake of the truth
And chance their arm to foil the sleuth?
Just one word you've written impressed this old fool.
The idea of these smears was just simply cruel.

And yet Nulabour keeps blundering on.
With the News showing an irritated Alan Johnson.
Hot under collar and blustering well,
To distance his master from the terrible smell.
No need for apologies, it wasn't us Guv',
As the Damoclean sword dangles above.
There's just one word that'll end this worry,
It needs Gordon to simply say the word: Sorry.

[Paul Flynn]

Thanks Rwendland for the information. It has been corrected. The numbers cc in are alarming. It was very rash of them to copy this junk to so many people.

[Kay Tie]

Your channel in YouTube is:

http://www.youtube.com/user/paulflynnmp

by the way.

[rwendland]

Paul, there is a small but significant typo in your blog here. You mean Labourlist.org not Labourhome in: "Derek Draper has been an embarrassment ... His motives in established Labourhome". Labourhome.org is a joint blog run by Alex Hilton, not involved in this folly.

NB Derek Draper uses Yahoo for his email, so "hacking in" would probably amount to guessing his password, so quite possible. But the emails were also cc'd to Charlie Whelan and Andrew Dodgshon at the Unity trade union, so a leak from Unity is also possible. There isn't enough evidence to identify the most likely source.

[Kay Tie]

Just to clarify the "read all our emails" bit. The police can access any evidence they like in a specific investigation. It's nothing new for them to able able to get an ISP to hand over copies of emails for a named suspect.

What the odious Ms. Smith has passed into law is that the ISPs be forced to keep logs of all emails - not the contents but the destination. The Government claims this is because of an EU directive, but the truth is that the Government proposed this legislation before, when Charles Clarke was Home Secretary, and pushed the EU into making it a directive (legislation laundering, if you will).

My ISP doesn't have my emails - they go via an overseas mail provider using an encrypted link. I suggest we all do likewise. Incidentally, Guido Fawkes has moved his blog overseas so that it can't be tampered with by the British police.

[Kay Tie]

I put a link on how to create a channel at the bottom of my previous comment. I can't paste it again because I'm using my iPhone - no cut and paste function (yet).

[Paul Flynn]

How do I create a channel on YouTube, KayTie.? At the moment I can find my videos by putting a search for Paul Flynn MP or for Newport TV. That seems to work with most. I have loaded the small vidblogs using two methods. The simple one of loading it as 'file' creates a smaller picture that the more elaborate one.

It's all trial and error, I'm afraid.

In the meantime you might find some of the existing videos entertaining. Try Short, Sea shipping. It's had 20,000 hits.

[Paul Flynn]

Jolly Roger, I looked at Guido Fawkes site on Saturday. There were no names or details of the accusations. They appeared for the first time in the Sunday Newspapers.

No money was exchanged? Not from Guido. He does not have access to the cash that the papers have.

Not for one second have I defended the stupidity of McBride and Draper. What I am trying to do is to further the debate from the initial shock horror. How did the details leak?

The word I used in the video yesterday about these e-mails was that they are 'cruel'. That is what makes them especially offensive.

[Graham Marlowe]

Paul: Of course yiou are right in saying that the Tories would probably be just as virulent if they were on the ropes and barely a year away from a general election.

As we have seen with people like McNulty, Cohen, Smith and Hoon, with their expenses and ridiculous claims about second homes (Cohen claims one home is a static caravan and when pressed blamed a long gone Tory minister John Moore for telling MPs in the 80s to be profligate with expenses - since when did a left wing Labour MP do what a Tory told him? - doing what Tories tell them to do is what Purnell does). There is an air of moral bankruptcy now in some quarters at Westminster: this was highlighted by the return of Mandelson, preening himself with his new title.

I have got sick to death of hearing Mrs Dories going on abt her "career" and how she is going to sue. I have heard her on 3 programmes now on both the BBC and LBC. If this lady did seek her remedies in the courts, she would be ill-advised so to do: at the moment very few people know the substance of the "allegations" against her - if she sued, these "allegations" would be spread all over every newspaper in the country, which might make her "career" even more fragile. Unless she really is desperate for publicity.

Having said all this, why does Brown employ guttersnipes like McBride?. Ignorant arrogant individuals who, apparently, was known in Westminster as "McPoison"?.

As for the silly Draper (why do they keep calling him "Dolly"?), we all recall his feuds with Charlie Whelan which were forever inflamed on radio by each of them taking it in turns to needle the other in interviews. very juvenille, and he obviously hasn't grown up.

I suspect that both main parties will continue to engage in such loathsome behaviour - the Tories are hardly beneath using dirty tricks.

I think the future lies with smaller parties, like the Greens, who have neither the time money or staff to behave in this puerile manner.

One final point: I heard Mr draper whineing on Raddio 4 on Saturday PM that somebody had btoken into hsi email account - you raise the matter yourself: it seems to go over both your heads that Brown and Smith have made sure the government has the power to read ALL OUR emails.

[Jolly Roger]

Thank you Kay Tie for your glowing endorsement,
Great minds think alike on this current discoursement.
But I must disagree on the source of the emails.
They were obtained from one of Number 10's males or females.
They were lifted from Damien McBride's computer,
Of that I think there's little disputer.
They were then passed to Guido's waiting mitts,
By someone who thought that Labour had reached the pits.

Guido Fawkes has now stated that no money changed hands,
And that The Public Interest had greater demands.
The News of the Screws, the Sunday Times too,
Published it all, I've read 'em, have you?
The text of these mails has been described as obscene,
And I can see exactly what they mean.
These personal attacks of gutter content
Assure us of NuLabour's unfettered descent.

Dear Paul, herewith a heartfelt plea.
Withdraw your support for Derek D.
Lest ye be contaminated with political taint,
Which is undeserved, and unsure, I just ain't.
I admire your party loyalty, unflinching,
But you're perilously close to a Party Political lynching.
I've just watched your colleague Liam Byrne,
Boy, can that bloke slither and squirm?

He slipped, he slid, he blathered and dribbled,
I lost count of the times that he said "scribbled".
His claim that the mails were meant for the bin,
Just made me wonder what planet he's in.
His attempts to distance Gordon in the Bunker,
Was just another political flunker.
Yet Gordon assumes the role of McCavity,
And ignores this feast of Political depravity.

[Kay Tie]

"I have been urged to do more video blogging so as not to let Preeza dominated. "

I see you are copying John Prescott's famed diction!

Can you put the videos on YouTube? I don't want to download them to my PC - I'd rather stream them directly. Why not create a "channel" on YouTube and use the software that came with your whizzy new camera to upload the videos?

http://www.ehow.com/how_4493894_create-youtube-channel.html

[Kay Tie]

Oh, and I must add that Jolly Roger is really amazing. I was going to write something making almost identical points. Except Jolly Roger did it in rhyme. Incredible.

[Kay Tie]

"I would still to know who put this into the public domain and why."

The simplest explanation is usually the one: someone else had access to McBride's or Draper's computer when they weren't there. Based on the concept that Number 10 runs a tight ship IT-wise, I'd say that Dolly left his laptop somewhere public while he went for a coffee.

[Paul Flynn]

Thank you Jolly Roger, I've looked at Tom Harris' blog and I would not disagree with a word of it. Certainly two Labour supporers are to blame. One has rightly resigned. The other's credibility is damaged.

I would still like to know who put this into the public domain and why. If shielding the finer feelings of the victims was a factor, the names could have been omitted from the leaks and the published reports. this was not done.

[Jolly Roger]

I'm sorry Paul, you just don't geddit,
As I write towards a probable edit.
The emails were sent from Government sources,
With no permission for private recourses.
They were also copied to MP Tom Watson,
You know, the leopard who's still got his spots on.
That's called publishing, according to Law.
Shall I get my coat and head for the door?

Your attempt at portraying proven liar Derek Draper
As victim, is simply not worthy of pen upon paper.
"Oh brilliant" Draper said, as he opened the mail,
"I 'll put them on RedRag", we just cannot fail.
He was ready to publish to please his master,
Whose government lurches from disaster to disaster.
In order to save you from that that may embarrass,
I would refer you to the blog of your colleague Tom Harris.

www.tomharris.org.uk

The game's up, Paul, NuLabour's now finished,
And your integrity is at risk of being diminished.
To see you try to defend the indefensible,
Is simply not on, it's just not sensible.
This matter began with foul intent,
From the very heart of the NuLabour tent.
And now your Party will pay a stiff price,
To a Public who think that this is simply not nice.

[Huw]

Hacking is rather unlikely Paul.
Far more likely, someone with access to them leaked them.

[Paul Flynn]

If no-one hacked in, who else had sight of the e-mails? Neiher Damien nor Derek would show them to others. Surely
Who do you think got hold of them, KayTie. What was their motive for leaking?

[Kay Tie]

"Did someone hack into Derek Draper's e-mails? Other explanations seem unlikely."

Utter rubbish, Paul, utter rubbish. I know what it takes to "hack into" computers, and there would be evidence left behind of this. So please, don't fall for his smokescreen. We've had nothing but lies from him and the (remaining) spin machine in Number 10.

"But it is very unlikely that anyone who was not trusted would have had sight of the e-mails."

Perhaps they were put on a USB key and left on a train? (That apparently is how MPs' expenses have been leaked, oh the irony).

Please don't repeat Draper's lies: otherwise you might have repeat his appearance on Channel 4 to claim "I wasn't lying on purpose." If you want to be a blind apologist for this outrageous behaviour, then go ahead: tarnish your reputation for integrity that you've built up on this blog.

If you want to see this disgusting story properly, then stop looking at the world through a Labour tribal prism. The emails came to light only recently, and the reason is that Guido started digging only recently, when he tried to find the source of recent smear attacks on him and Iain Dale.

[Paul Flynn]

The added Mc has now been removed. It was a slip.

Alistair Campbell was well known to us a tabloid journalist. Dolly Draper was also well known as Mandelson's protege. Damien McBride????? .. a blank

[Bill]

Thanks for your comment, Mr McFlynn! I referred to you scrupulously correctly using your name and title as an MP in my blog - I really don't find it amusing that you append a 'Mc' to my name, although I suppose given that McBride is in the news it is forgivable, if one is into schoolboy humour.

As for not having heard of McBride until yesterday, I must accept your statement, although I find it astonishing - you'll be telling me next you never heard of Alistair Campbell or Derek Draper either, lol - if true it seems that Mr Brown's rather notorious spin-apparatus is unknown to you as well.

Best regards
Bill Cameron (no relation, so far as I know, to our likely next PM)
http://billcameron.blogspot.com

[Paul Flynn]

Thanks for your comments Mr Cameron but it is a simple statement of truth, Until yesterday I had never heard of Damien McBride. I thought I might recognise his face as someone I have seen around parliament. That also drew a blank.

I am sure that many of my fellow MPs would say the same. SPADs are invisible to MPs.

[Paul Mathone]

It seems to me that McBride is just one example of how Brown runs No 10 day in and day out

I believe his only crime in Brown's eye is that he got caught

Mr Flynn, you may be an honourable man but your boss is most certainly not and I, along with most of the UK, am sick of him

I look forward to the day that the electorate can kick him and his cabinet into the long grass for a generation
You can rep

[Bill]

I've just watched your recently-uploaded YouTube video clip, describing Damien McBride as some 'unknown'. Are you being deliberately disingenuous? I've blogged about it here:
http://billcameron.blogspot.com/2009/04/labour-mp-tries-unsuccessfully-to.html
- sorry, I can't take such bald propaganda and spin at all seriously.

A simple admission that McBride has brought shame on your Party would have much more credibility. Charles Clarke MP is not my favourite person (I am NOT a Labour supporter, candidly), but I respect his honest acceptance of a massive gaffe much more than I do your own attempt at spin.

Very sincerely
Bill Cameron
http://billcameron.blogspot.com