As the accusations and counter accusations over what Damian Green had on his workplace computer, and the conduct of the Police, continue to swirl, those out there on the right are indulging in a variety of tactics to distract attention from the affair, or even suggest that somehow He Didn’t Do It. And one MP has indulged so completely that she has admitted to having committed a serious looking security breach.
The MP managing to put the ball in The Blue Team’s own net is, to no surprise, Mid Bedfordshire’s representative (yes, it’s her again) Nadine Dorries, who as a good Tory tribalist has decided that Green is squeaky clean, and as the driven snow. Her problem is that in doing so, she has effectively admitted to having regularly committed an act of gross professional misconduct - not that she’ll be in favour of the consequences.
This self-inflicted howler came yesterday as Ms Dorries Tweeted “My staff log onto my computer on my desk with my login everyday. Including interns on exchange programmes. For the officer on @BBCNews just now to claim that the computer on Greens desk was accessed and therefore it was Green is utterly preposterous !!” Do go on.
“I’m sure if the computers of all MPs - including Labour ones, were investigated there would be a record of porn being accessed. There would, in all cases, be zero proof of who it was who accessed it”. Any evidence to pony up? No? Thought not. Have another go.
“All staff send emails in our name. To say emails were sent at the same time porn was viewed - therefore it must have been him - is also preposterous”. R-i-i-i-ght.
Justin Williams had something to say about that: “As an IT person who has worked on security policy, it is the first rule of cyber-security NEVER to share your login. It invalidates the millions HMG spends on securing their systems. Stackable offence in most companies”. He was not the only one passing adverse comment.
John O’Shea pointed out that it was not necessary to share logins to share mailboxes. “That is not parliamentary Digital policy. You need a basic clearance to get a parliamentary login, so only permanent staff get that. IT allows full sharing of email access without sharing logins”. And one anonymous Tweeter then put the lid on it.
“As ex Civil Servant within DWP - I can attest that DWP policy & guidance stipulates 'any attempt to view pornography on government property' is a GROSS MISCONDUCT basis of termination from post. Also to share ID/LOGIN is a huge No-No”. Quite.
Could it get worse for the fragrant Nadine? It certainly could: Neil Wilby pointed out “Unless I missed it, #DamianGreen hasn't claimed any other member of his office team is/was the 'porn' viewer”. And the Tweeter known as My Sweet Landlord had more.
“Indeed he hasn't. But his office team in Nov 2008 was a gay male and 2 females. Awkward”. So Nadine Dorries has admitted gross misconduct for nothing. Or lied. Again.
Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, and all that. No change there, then.
She just doesn’t get it. If MPs are log in sharing that’s enough to remove them from all Govt IT systems.
ReplyDeleteGays and females aren't interested in porn? That's news to me.
ReplyDeleteIf gobby Dorries says Green's innocent......you can guarantee he's guilty.
ReplyDeleteWith "friends" like that......
If you are privy to state information, secrets or systems. Then you would be in breach of the official secrets act. Legislation that provides for the protection of state secrets and official information. Essentially Nadine has admitted the breach and who she committed it with.
ReplyDeleteOh to see the unfragrant one doing a five in the slammer for a breach of the law!
ReplyDeleteThis means if you have been in touch with your MP via email as have I, your data security has by definition been compromised. I have therefore written to my MP to demand the removal of my personal data from the system.
ReplyDeleteIt is quite obvious that the whole system is now insecure given that 'exchange interns' would have unrestricted access to the system. I will be making a complaint to the Data Commissioner to demand she carries out a thorough investigation. Any help and support in this endeavour would be much appreciated. I am sure there must be many other people in a similar position. If enough complaints are made to the Data Commissioner she must act on them. I think also this is a resignation issue for both the Barclays Banker and the malodorous Ms Dorries.