Hunt for MPs' expenses leaker hots up
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/05/18/mps_expenses_leak_hunt/
Damaging data flogged around Fleet Street

By John Leyden . Get more from this author

Posted in Government, 18th May 2009 11:54 GMT

Free whitepaper - Consultants improve business compliance with simplified 
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More details have emerged about how confidential information on MPs' 
expenses might have found its way into the hands of journalists.

The information, which has led to a string of articles that exposed how 
elected representatives made a series of questionable claims, was purchased 
by the Daily Telegraph from a seller who offered the data to other Fleet 
Street newspapers.

This data includes a hard drive containing expense claims made by MPs over 
the last five years, together with two million supporting documents 
including copies of expense claim forms, The Guardian reports. How someone 
managed to smuggle data from a classified machine onto a (presumably) 
external hard disc, much less smuggle out enough supporting paperwork to 
fill a van from the Palace of Westminster, remains unclear.

The circumstances suggest an insider, possibly one who works in the fees 
office, is behind the leak. The subsequent shenanigans make for a piece of 
political intrigue with shades of the thriller State of Play, with large 
hints of the caustic Westminster comedy The Thick of It.

On 18 March three journalists from The Times reportedly met with a broker to 
discuss the sale of the data at the offices of a public relations firm. An 
asking price of £300,000 - £250,000 for the data, £50,000 in analysis fees - 
was put on the table, along with a promise to provide legal indemnity during 
the 30 minute meeting, which involved discussion of snippets of the data on 
offer. The Times turned down the deal.

The businessman brokering the deal was identified by the Wall Street 
Journal, The Sunday Times (here) and the Mail on Sunday (here) as John Wick, 
a former SAS major and current director of risk management and security firm 
International Security Solutions Limited (ISSL). Henry Gewanter, managing 
director of PR firm Positive Profile, reportedly assisted Wick.

El Reg spoke to Gewanter, who declined to comment. Staff at ISSL said that 
Wick was out of the office and unavailable for comment. We've left a message 
and will update this story as and when Wick gets in touch.

ISSL specialises in "corporate risk management" which, according to case 
studies on its site, involves everything from running kidnap and ransom 
response to tracking suspected internal fraud for a Caribbean telecoms firm, 
and defending an unnamed electronics firm against charges of violating UN 
sanctions.

In late March the Sunday Express ran an exclusive that home secretary Jacqui 
Smith's husband paid to watch a couple of X-rated films, the cost of which 
was subsequently claimed back on expenses. The data used to stand up this 
story apparently came from the same source.

Days after this scoop, The Sun was offered a portion of the expense claims 
information, but editor Rebekah Wade walked away from the deal after first 
offering only £20,000 for the information, a decision she reportedly 
regrets.

The seller next approached The Telegraph, which agreed an undisclosed deal 
and begin printing a series of stories. Whoever sold the information could 
find it hard to argue that they acted in the public interest after 
attempting to profit by auctioning the information around Fleet Street.

Intermediaries in the deal might also be implicated. Should police press on 
with an investigation, then editors at both the Sunday Express and the Daily 
Telegraph could also have reason to worry.

Fleet Street insiders describe the deal as amateurish, mainly because 
neither the Daily Mail nor the Mail on Sunday, the two papers likely to pay 
the highest fees, were offered the scoop. ®


http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/05/18/mps_expenses_leak_hunt/

MPs' expenses: whirlpool bath and week away for whips

      Thousands of pounds of taxpayers' money on a house less than 15 miles 
from one MP's main home is just one of the questionable claims by whips that 
the Telegraph can now disclose.

      http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mps-expenses/5346398/MPs-expenses-a-whirlpool-bath-and-a-week-away-for-whips.html



"McGregor"  wrote in message 
news:XjsQl.30726$OO7.6337@text.news.virginmedia.com...
> Hunt for MPs' expenses leaker hots up
> http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/05/18/mps_expenses_leak_hunt/
> Damaging data flogged around Fleet Street
>
> By John Leyden . Get more from this author
>
> Posted in Government, 18th May 2009 11:54 GMT
>
> Free whitepaper - Consultants improve business compliance with simplified 
> document management system
>
> More details have emerged about how confidential information on MPs' 
> expenses might have found its way into the hands of journalists.
>
8<<<<<<<<<<<<< snip
>
> Fleet Street insiders describe the deal as amateurish, mainly because 
> neither the Daily Mail nor the Mail on Sunday, the two papers likely to 
> pay the highest fees, were offered the scoop. ®
>
>
> http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/05/18/mps_expenses_leak_hunt/
>