It has been confirmed at least two cabinet ministers have received prank phone calls due to the latest Tory shitshow
The Conservative party conference takes place in Birmingham this weekend and has started with all the glorious elegance of a giraffe toppling down a Hogwarts staircase.
A Tory conference app – which chairman Brandon Lewis was planning to unveil as the result of a modern overhaul of the party – backfired spectacularly after the phone numbers and personal details of all those attending were made public.
Users were able to log into the app using the parliamentary email addresses of MPs without even entering a password. They could then access all of their information on the app, including personal phone numbers.
Obviously, their profile pictures also took a hit, with Michael Gove turning into Rupert Murdoch and Boris Johnson briefly having his avatar changed to some pornography.
In response to the incident, Lewis released a statement some three hours after the data breach which said: “We’ve had a technical issue with our Conference App that has been resolved and it is now functioning securely. We are investigating the issue further and apologise for any concern caused.”
Conservative MPs, meanwhile, were not amused.
Oh dear this is not calming matters. An irate MP responds: “Concern caused? Concern? I’m now receiving prank calls and will have to change my phone number, which I’ve had for almost 10 years. This is not a small matter. Brandon needs to give us answers. I’m more than concerned.” https://t.co/tdsF3xOtIV
— Alex Wickham (@alexwickham) September 29, 2018
Alex Wickham of Buzzfeed has reported that one ‘irate MP’ will now be forced to change the phone number they’ve had for almost a decade. (Oh no. How awful.)
Wickham has also reported that another two MPs received prank calls following the breach, whilst another said “Conference hasn’t even started yet and it’s descended into a farce. Brandon needs to get a grip.”
An MP who had their number released on Twitter told Buzzfeed News: “CCHQ genuinely can’t be trusted to do anything. This is a serious security breach and no laughing matter. Whoever is responsible needs to go.”
According to the Guardian, one Whitehall source called the breach “absolutely ridiculous”. Much of the anger has been directed at Brandon Lewis, whose job involves overseeing the running of the conference.
Theresa May arrived at the party conference shortly after the incident and was greeted with shouts of “Have you checked out the conference app?” as she entered a hotel close to Birmingham’s ICC arena.
Theresa May arrives at #CPC18 in Birmingham – faced with shouts of “have you checked out the conference app?” … the Tories will want a glitch free few days – this data breach is not a good start pic.twitter.com/KLdF37Hrtf
— Rob Powell (@robpowellnews) September 29, 2018
The party conference officially kicks-off on Sunday, although now it appears the Tory shitshow has started slightly ahead of schedule this year.
