Don't ever put sensitive material in an email

Everything about emailing is more hurried than traditional written documents.  Hunched over the keyboard most of us seem to take less care with the contents of an email than if we were writing a more formal letter.  As soon as they are written they can be sent - whereas there's normally some time between a letter being written and it entering the postal system.  That can be just enough time to realise that the letter needs a little softening or its contents communicated by phone or face-to-face.  Once an explosive email has been sent it couldn't be easier for its recipients to forward it to others.

Desmond Swayne MP must be pondering the dangers of email as he reads The Sunday Times this morning.  Isabel Oakeshott has got hold of emails from Mr Swayne, David Cameron's Parliamentary Private Secretary, and they contain some embarassing observations...

• Mr Swayne writes that Francis Maude is "not yet trusted by the parliamentary party";
• Theresa May is "neither liked nor trusted across the party";
• Roger Gale MP is dubbed "Mr Angry";
• The Industry and Parliament Trust are described as "a bunch of boring colleagues with nothing better to do";
• William Hague is accused of "wobbling" on the EPP issue.

Mr Swayne is performing the job of any good PPS - informing his boss of parliamentary opinion - but was it wise to put this into an email?  He clearly understands the danger of leaking.  In one email he writes "Something dreadful happened to me in Manchester but I cannot put it on paper.  I will tell you later."  I wonder what it was?

This is not the first time that an email has leaked from the leader's office.  ConservativeHome was passed an email from Mr Cameron's chief of staff which recorded the ambition for 20 of the first 35 parliamentary selections to adopt women candidates.

Comments

[Valerie]

The emails are reproduced in full in the Sunday Times (online, anyway).

[Editor]

I've changed the link Valerie. Thank you.

[TomTom]

The emails are reproduced in full in the Sunday Times

That's what they call a Remote Network Printer !

[Chad]

Good to see the truth behind the cheap, dismissive insults; there is a real concern of activists ditching the Tories in favour of UKIP over the Europe policy.

Leaked emails, you've got to love them!

[Tory Solicitor]

I am confident that these emails won't do any real damage. The matter will be forgotten very quickly.

[sjm]

At least 10 years ago, it was possible to intercept and log mobile phone calls and then emails, as was demonstrated to me by someone doing it professionally for a company legitimately tracking down international financial fraud. Goodness knows what can be done now, and every politician should be made aware of it.

[TomTom]

Any organisation with a Server has a copy of all emails anyway and under RIPA is obliged to retain them for 3 years..............you don't need to intercept them - just download them off the server.

[Andrew Kennedy]

"Francis Maude not trusted, Theresa May not liked, Grassroots anger over Europe, William Hague wobbling over EPP....."

Sounds to me like Desmond Swayne has better judgement than the man he serves.

[Neil C]

I was in the bar with Desmond until the wee small hours at the Manchester Spring Conference, along with some colleagues, I may have an idea over the dreadful experience, but like him I am not prepared to put it on paper!! Very affable man is Desmond, certainly not afraid to speak his mind!!

[Andrew Woodman]

Nothing too damaging here really. Just shows Desmond Swayne has good intuition. Was hoping to find some juicy for the Reinstate Roger campaign, but was disappointed.

[Valerie]

Except that Daniel Hannan is keen to learn how he can 'live with you without rancour post the EPP settlement that is taking place.' Which sounds like 2009.

[Andrew Kennedy]

Neil C - you are a tease !

[Justin Hinchclifffe]

Just read the emails: very entertaining! Desmond clearly tours the tearooms and DC could not hope for a better PPS. I could have written those memos myself based on the conversations I’ve had with MPs, MEPs and activists from around the country. I’m surprised that Sir Patrick Cormack didn’t get a mention for his arrogance, pomposity and delusional behaviour (known throughout the Parliamentary Party).

[Justin Hinchclifffe]

I should have added that Roger Gale is an exceptionally hard-working and competent MP both at Westminster and in Thanet North. I've never known him to be angry - even when Lulu, his dog, badgered him for almost an hour for 'titbits' from his dinner plate!

[Sally Roberts]

Fascinating! But what on earth was he thinking of not raising these points in a face to face meeting? None of this is the sort of stuff that should ever be written down - the mind boggles at what the "dreadful thing" was!!!

[Julian Morrison]

The major design fault of email is that it gets downloaded willy-nilly to whatever low-security laptop you use to check it.

The way to fix this, is to require everyone to use the organization's own web-mail, and encrypt web access to this through HTTPS. That can severely limit the pool of leakers, since internal emails never cross the network in plaintext, and it's not too complex to set up.

[westminster-spy]

"conversations I’ve had with MPs, MEPs and activists from around the country"

Is that when you're not spamming MEPs mailboxes with your pompous and self-important views on the future direction of the Conservatives in the European Parliament.

Before accusing others of "arrogance" and "pomposity", I think you ought to look at yourself.

[Dick Wishart]

I think that Desmond Swayne is just about spot on, let's hope DC listens to him.

[Dick Wishart]

P.S. why do some of your bloggers have to end up slagging each other off?

[Justin Hinchclifffe]

Westminster Spy (whoever you are), as a constituency Chairman, albeit it for a small inner-city Association, I frequently meet Conservatives at meetings and conferences and have made some good friends as a result of them. Some are MPs and MEPs but most are hard-working committed members - the type that visit this site! I ONCE emailed all Conservative MEPs to try to draw their attention to an article in the Telegraph about the history and homophobia of Poland's Law and Justice Party and to enquire if we should really be considering joining them. Is that really "spam"? Whoever you are, one thing you certainly are - and that's rude and mis-informed!

[John]

So what does this really tell us.

That people in the same political party often don't like each other very much. That people who do high powered pressurised jobs often slag each other off. Wow big news didn't know that before, what a revelation!

[william]

I don't see UKIP as a threat any more as does Swayne. If the BNP were to rebrand itself in a more Conservative style-hue and less of a Labour vote stealing machine they would be pulling from left and right and could possibly become a major party.

If Cameron is about to flunk the EPP til 2009 (the long grass), there will be a demand for a new 'conservative' home for many. The BNP might adapt successfully to meet such demand.

[Chad]

Q:"So what does this really tell us."

A: Quite a lot.

The most significant for me, away from the EPP/EU issue is how dishonest Cameron's speech about nuclear power was, as it is clear that nuclear has never been Labour's first choice, but it clearly is the first choice for most Tories.

Cameron is talking green, pretending to be more anti-nuclear than Labour, when in fact, as the email reports that with the exception of Zac Goldsmith, everyone else is a pro-nuclear enthusiast.

[william]

Except that Daniel Hannan is keen to learn how he can 'live with you without rancour post the EPP settlement that is taking place.' Which sounds like 2009.

where did you find this quote Valerie?

[mattsimpson]

I'm more interested in the "colleague sackings" bit and wonder which right wingers are going to be removed?

[Paul Kennedy]

Not a lot to bother about in those emails, might even "chivvy up" some of those mentioned. Mr Swayne does seem to have his finger on the pulse and is therefore a good PPS destined for greater things.

PS I'd love to see some of the Labour ones going to and fro at the moment. ;)

[Paul Kennedy]

PPS ( no pun intended......or maybe it is!) to my last post, maybe the dreadful happening referred to is, that he had to experience that northern gastronomic delight, "Tripe and Onions".

[Ted]

I think Mr Swayne needs to put the nation out of its misery - WHAT HAPPENED!

Williiam - Valerie's quote is from email 7 - I think - which ends "This has to be pure fiction but Hannan believes it". So either Hague is making deals without his leaders consent or it was pure fiction.

[Neil C]

Yes I am rather a tease I suppose Andrew, being 90% sure of what the 'dreadful experience' was, it is fair to say,it does not have a political context, so I really don't know why Desmond alluded to it in the e-mail to our party leader!!

[Andrew Kennedy]

He didn't get lost and end up on Canal Street did he ? Having met Desmond Swayne I can imagine he would find that "a dreadful experience" !

[Valerie]

Ted - actually I read too much into it, thinking that 'fiction' referred only to the end of the email (and also given that it was written before 29 June, when they went to Prague).

[william]

Ted - thank you for the reference.

The 'fiction' bit appears to have been added afterwards by someone trying to doctor the email.

It doesn't flow at all, and is different script - maybe the ST took advice how to play this story from somewhere and added a 'not really true' get-out .

Hannan is right to believe the reports, in my opinion. He sounds shocked by the duplicity of Hague. Why be? He's a member of the secretive Bildeberg Group that promotes the EU.

Cameron will be dropping much support if this is all true.

Whatever happened to Compassionate Conservatism - trusting people, sharing responsibility, championing freedom and supporting British institutions and culture?

I don't think Built To Last will apply - rather planned obsolescence,and short-term at that.

[Paul Kennedy]

15:13 post

And for those not familiar with Manchester, as a hint and it is a true story, sometime ago somebody blanked out one of the letters on the street sign. ;)

[Jack Stone]

Why doesn`t it surprise me that virtually every thread on this site ends up being dominated by Europe. I can`t see many people even knowing what the EPP is let allowing discussing it down the local pub this Sunday evening. I am afraid its a complete none issue and personally I think the sooner the issue is kicked in the long grass the better.

[John Moss]

The good news is that it has faded as a news item, not even being picked up on the BBC News politics page.

I wonder if this was a crude attempt to get a "Tory Split" story running to deflect some of the attention from our Dear DPM's troubles? If it was, it hasn't worked. Both Sunday Times and Sunday Telegraph had double page spreads on JP's troubles and I still think he will be gone as Deputy Prime Minister by 11.05am tomorrow.

John

[william]

Prescott is a news blanket, John - my best guess is that the story is being used to cover up the real goings-on in the Labour Party, not to help Cameron over the EPP. The untold story is the especially rapid promotion of Milliband as Blair's chosen successor to push out Gordon Brown.

Barroso is slagging off Brown in this week's Spectator. Gordon is being quietly eroded and marginalised. His empire is coming under siege.

All the stories about Prescott were known long ago. Why are they coming out into the media now as if news? Some believe that Prescott has tried to slide across to the Brown camp in time to buy a bit of position. So he's suffering the modern equivalent of a mediaeval execution - media assassination for disloyalty, for committing history's ultimate crime, that of backing the wrong side.

When the Prescott story finally slides off the page, Milliband's face will be popping up to replace it. Blair is being kept on long enough to get him into position, and meanwhile erode Gordon and Prescott. Then the final manoevre will take place when Murdoch is brought in to complete the job.

It will be Milliband the Miracle to replace Prescott the buffoon, and Brown the Inappropriate.

[malcolm]

It's all a conspiracy William.As with every other subject including crime,climate change the economy etc etc it's all the fault of the EU.If we leave the EPP everything will be perfect for everybody.And they all lived happily ever after!

[Rob F]

"Something dreadful happened to me in Manchester but I cannot put it on paper. I will tell you later."

I suspect he saw two gay men holding hands. That would be enough to give him a coronary.

[Unixman]

Hasn't anybody in the Conservative Party heard of PGP?

[Serf]

I can`t see many people even knowing what the EPP is let allowing discussing it down the local pub this Sunday evening. I am afraid its a complete none issue and personally I think the sooner the issue is kicked in the long grass the better.

Funny how Europhiles don't like discussions on the EU isn't it.

[Cllr. Robert-j Tasker]

Niel C -

I wouldn't have thought his 'experience' was too 'dreadful', quite the opposite actually.

After all, we were vying for the same thing....;-)

Hoorah to Swayney..!

[william]

Malcolm, it's your record that's stuck, not mine!!!

Are you suggesting that John Prescott's womanising was a complete secret for nine years known to no one?

The moment Prescott falls foul of Blair by making moves to the Brown camp, his secrets are plastered all over the tabloids, and yet this has nothing to do with Prescott's downfall?

You're as naive as they come, malcolm, if you see this as conincidence.

The EU are openly campaigning against Brown as I was forecasting they would. You thought that was also pigs flying past your window at the time, I remember.

The EPP exit route is being scuppered by Hague, who's been making barmy speeches about linking the EU with Nafta. The reality of the situation is that the world government fantasists like Hague are dangerous fools.

By bringing politics back to local level, where we can speak to our representatives and receive replies that don't sound like complete hooey, we can do what is needed to make life possible.

Inside the EU we will never receive anything other than replies saying,'we have to carry out our obligations under the **** Treaty'.

If you don't believe in democracy Malcolm, then tell us, please.

[Neil C]

Well Councillor Robert- J Tasker it could indeed be argued that we would indeed have acted in the same manner as Mr Swayney, perhaps the Polish Coalition could have been a viable option as well??!!

[malcolm]

I do believe in democracy William.I don't believe in your endless conspiracy theories however.I also do not believe William Hague is a fool.

[Cllr. Robert-j Tasker]

Polish coalition indeed...!

I wonder if our mutual 'friend' thought the whole thing was 'dreadful' though???

Anyway - 10/10 from the Desmeister, the very crux of all this must be;

I would have, you would have.

:-)

[Giffin Lorimer]

Sorry this is so late. A little known fact: Nixon was brought down by the White House email log file over 20 years ago - they had deleted all the files not realising that backups existed which contained evidence if the attempted coverup.

Anyone with a smidgen of IT knowledge would know better than to entrust anything confidential to a computerised system that has links to the outside world.

That's why the Blair government runs its meetings without agenda or minutes - there is a greatly reduced potential for leaks and complete deniability: they do an 'ad hominem' on the leaker and, since the press find it easier to run a 'Scandal' story than an expose, the leak is quickly displaced from the news and the public consciousness (is that a new oxymoron?).

[Neil C]

Well Councillor R- J Tasker, indeed I guess Desmond used all of his soldier's experience that evening in Manchester!!
As we know perhaps if the dreadful experience was in the public domain he may even gain some extra support from people, such as ourselves who have a fine eye for this kind of thing!!