The government’s own National Cyber Security Centre recommends that private individuals use a Virtual Private Network to keep their data secure. What will Labour do now…
The latest guidance for small business owners says:
“When you use public Wi-Fi hotspots (for example in hotels or coffee shops), there is no way to easily find out who controls the hotspot, or to prove that it belongs to who you think it does. If you connect to these hotspots, somebody else could access:
- what you’re working on whilst connected
- your private login details that many apps and web services maintain whilst you’re logged on
The simplest precaution is not to connect to the Internet using unknown hotspots, and instead use your mobile 3G or 4G mobile network, which will have built-in security. This means you can also use ‘tethering’ (where your other devices such as laptops share your 3G/4G connection), or a wireless ‘dongle’ provided by your mobile network. You can also use Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), a technique that encrypts your data before it is sent across the Internet. If you’re using third party VPNs, you’ll need the technical ability to configure it yourself, and should only use VPNs provided by reputable service providers.”
Hacks have lapped up Peter Kyle’s line that he is currently “not in the business” of restricting VPN use. As Guido revealed yesterday Labour officially supported a forcing a review on rules for VPNs when the Online Safety Act was first debated…
Kyle is currently begging adults to verify their age whenever they are asked, which is unsustainable. All it will take is for a few civil service reviews to support restricting VPNs somehow – e.g. by forcing them off established app stores. A futile effort and one which makes the internet more dangerous – much like the Online Safety Act…
Labour should take their advice from the National Cyber Security Centre on VPNs. Farcical…
Co-conspirators will remember when Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden made a great fuss earlier this year about slapping an immediate freeze on civil servants’ taxpayer-funded credit cards. At the time, he declared: “We must ensure taxpayers’ money is spent on improving the lives of working people.” Apparently, that mission doesn’t apply to the wine list…
Back in March, pen-pushers at the Cabinet Office shelled out £550 on booze. Tory MP Charlie Dewhirst asked a written parliamentary question on what it was for. Cabinet minister Abena Oppong-Asare responded:
“The referenced entry relates to wine purchased for official business. Any hospitality purchases for diplomatic occasions are made with value-for-money for the taxpayer as a priority.”
So the ‘freeze’ on spending doesn’t extend to the booze fridge. That’s despite the government’s own wine cellar already being stocked to the rafters – some 39,000 bottles by the last count. Vintage hypocrisy…
Starmer has announced that the UK will recognise Palestine as a state by UNGA in September “unless the Israeli government takes substantive steps to end the appalling situation in Gaza, reaches a ceasefire, makes clear there will be no annexation in the West Bank, and commits to a long-term peace process that delivers a Two State Solution.” As spelt out in the readout from today’s emergency Cabinet…
The PM promises to get “aid flooding into Gaza.” After a series of ructions in Labour over the issue Starmer is taking a more aggressive line. Will have wide ramifications…
UPDATE: A Reform UK Spokesman said:
“Recognising Palestine as a state does little more than reward Hamas for their actions on October 7th. This decision is being made at the wrong time and is a knee jerk reaction by Keir Starmer to appease the hard left forces inside and outside of his party.”
Read the full Cabinet readout below:
Continue reading “Starmer: UK Will Recognise Palestine in September”
BBC News’ live channel failed to observe the three-minute silence to mark one year since Axel Rudakubana murdered three young girls in Southport. It did not even feature in the bulletin at the top of the hour…
Instead the channel went through the headlines then at 1501 began “Verified Live” to talk about Gaza – led by the BBC Verify crew. GB News and Sky News on the other hand observed the full silence at 1500 hours…
Back in May Labour appointed Jeremy Corbyn’s former head of policy Neale Coleman as chairman of the Oxford Growth Commission. The self-described “committed socialist” hasn’t been left short of change – naturally at the taxpayers’ expense – since landing the plum role…
In a letter to Tory Party Chairman Kevin Hollinrake seen by Guido, ‘Comrade Coleman’ has admitted he is pocketing a tidy £570 a day. He works just two days a week to offer advice on infrastructure in the area. That’s a cool £59,280 a year for the part-time job. That’s equivalent to a £148,000 annual salary. What would Jezza say…
Read Coleman’s admission below:
Science Secretary Peter Kyle landed himself in hot water after absurdly accusing Nigel Farage of being “on the side of Jimmy Savile” just because he opposes the draconian Online Safety Act. At the same time Kyle has ramped up staffing costs by the millions to enforce the legislation…
In July 2024, DSIT and its agencies employed 15,931 full-time equivalent (FTE) staff, costing taxpayers £110.9 million a year – including salaries, allowances, gold-plated pensions, and consultancy fees. By June 2025, that headcount had ballooned to 16,300 FTEs, with the total bill soaring to £129.1 million. That’s a rise of £18 million, or 16%. At the taxpayers’ expense…
This is despite DSIT supposedly being committed to achieving at least 5% savings and efficiencies by the end of this Parliament – as laid out in the Spending Review. It’s not cheap suppressing free speech…
Paula Barker, Liverpool Wavertree MP backing Andy Burnham, told Times Radio there wouldn’t be trouble from the markets under Burnham:
“The markets will have to fall in line.”