The Westminster honeytrap mystery is even stranger than we thought

[sl8]

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-68796369

The Westminster honeytrap mystery is even stranger than we thought

1 day ago
By Henry Zeffman & Phil Kemp, BBC News

When news broke of men at Westminster being targeted by flirtatious WhatsApp messages from mysterious figures calling themselves "Charlie" or "Abi" many assumed it was a classic honeytrap.

Some MPs were quick to point the finger at Russia, China and other "hostile states" suspected of using nefarious tactics to obtain compromising material.

But it now looks a lot less straightforward than that. Security sources are steering us away from the hostile state theory.

So who was behind the scam (if that's what it was)? And what did Charlie and Abi want?

[...]

[Joinfortmill]

1. Yikes

[Easterncedar]

2. Interesting

[quaint]

3. Is this a BBC soap?

[getagrip_already]

4. This would no doubt work well in congress

No telling how many magat critters use grindr and would fall for this.

Yes, dems use it as well, but are likely more open about there sexuality and not as likely to be utter dumbasses talking about peers.

Interesting twist with the media (tabloids?) Doing it though.

[T_i_B]

6. I disagree

I don't think that being left of centre makes you any less susceptible to this sort of shenanigans.

I also think that it's fairly commonplace these days, and that some people might be dissuaded from getting involved in politics in case compromising material from their past gets leaked.

I also wonder if the Miriam Cates of this world, in search of a great moral cause would do well to campaign against unsolicited dick pics instead of spending so much time being horrible to Trans people!

[sybylla]

5. Well, if you can't borg phones of pols and celebs anymore...

the honey pot is the next best thing.

If it's not a state actor, how can it be anything else but an out of control media company?

[LeftishBrit]

7. And here's the latest weird Tory MP scandal

...On Wednesday, The Times reported that Mr Menzies had called his 78-year old former campaign manager, Kate Fieldhouse, at 3.15am one day in December, claiming he was locked in a flat and needed £5,000 as a matter of “life and death”.


The sum, which rose to £6,500, was eventually paid by his office manager from her personal bank account and subsequently reimbursed from funds raised from donors in an account named Fylde Westminster Group, it is alleged.

The Times also reported that £14,000 given by donors for Tory campaign activities was transferred to Mr Menzies’ personal bank accounts and used for private medical expenses.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/newslondon/mark-menzies-quits-conservatives-as-tories-say-conduct-fell-below-standard/ar-AA1nondY?ocid=msedgntp&pc=U531&cvid=10b59143b1e24f94b3d48cf73a856489&ei=7