Is Tom Watson trying to lure Labour members into a phishing scam?
![Tom Watson: Do you trust him? [Image: Getty.]](https://voxpoliticalonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/160903-Tom-Watson.jpg)
Tom Watson: Do you trust him? [Image: Getty.]
It read as follows (edited slightly to remove links):
“During my Deputy Leadership campaign last year, I said that if we organise, mobilise and harness the potential of every single party member, there’s no limit to what we can achieve.
“I also said that it’s not just what you say that matters, it’s what you do, too. Which is why I’m writing to you to today – exactly one year on from the day I was elected Deputy Leader of our party.
“I’ve put together a quick update on the work I’ve been doing over the past twelve months.
“As ever, I’d love to hear from you. If you’d like to send me your comments and feedback on the work I’ve been doing, you’ll find a link in the article.”
If I sent Tom Watson my comments and feedback on his recent work, no doubt I would be suspended from the Labour Party!
This is a ‘phishing’ scam, isn’t it? Phishing, if you don’t know (and you need to) is the practice of sending emails in order to induce individuals to reveal personal information online.
Usually they want passwords or credit card numbers so they can steal your money.
I’m concerned that this is an attempt to learn our opinions so they can steal our votes.
Maybe I’m being paranoid – but look at the people whose memberships have been suspended in the so-called purge.
I’ll hold off on responding to Tom’s kind offer – just until after the Labour leadership election is over – and I urge any other Labour members to do the same. He can read what we have to say when it won’t do us any harm.
ADVERT
Join the Vox Political Facebook page.
If you have appreciated this article, don’t forget to share it using the buttons at the bottom of this page. Politics is about everybody – so let’s try to get everybody involved!
Vox Political needs your help!
If you want to support this site
(but don’t want to give your money to advertisers)
you can make a one-off donation here:
Buy Vox Political books so we can continue
fighting for the facts.
Health Warning: Government! is now available
in either print or eBook format here:
The first collection, Strong Words and Hard Times,
is still available in either print or eBook format here:
Exactly my thoughts when I read it then promptly deleted it, even after the election I would refrain from any communication with him until it’s clear things are changing in a positive way
I too received this email…not responding….
Thanks for the warning. I’m even getting paranoid about “liking” Michael Rosen’s posts on facebook in case of the facebook police! If it wasn’t so serious I would say this is like something out of one of his children’s books. LOL
I posted my email from Watson on Twitter because I had the same thought. Already told him I’d never vote gor him again and that got me blocked.
Perhaps that’s why I haven’t even received one – I contacted him about a month ago to say how disappointed I am after voting for him last year.
Think you might be being a bit paranoid Mike? At the moment, I don’t see what the problem is? I don’t understand how it can be an attempt to steal votes either????
What’s wrong with learning people’s opinions?
It could be an attempt to suck up to people however? To try and get certain ‘haters’ to ‘like’ him again?
I’m sure you’ll feel free to correct me on this? :)
I said it might be paranoia in the article. Even if it is, of course, that doesn’t mean it’s unreasonable.
‘I don’t understand how it can be an attempt to steal votes’
by members making comments that are against the new bullying, etc rules & so removing their vote (even if they already have voted) &/or suspending / expelling them. Several conference delegates have already been purged …
I think exactly the same thing. The PLP and NEC have been using Social Media and similar to suspend anyone who says anything that could be disapproved of. It seems as if the timing of this email is designed to hoover up any additional suspensions, given how toxic a character he has become. I delete anything from the OS side of the party and have no trust in most of the Labour Party.
I can only say that I agree with every word you have written above Mike and I wish I had not been so forthright. It seems forthrightness is only appreciated by some when it fits exactly with their own requirements regardless of the actual matter in hand.
They attack Trotsky because he was Jewish – blatant anti-semitism!
Trotsky did his best for his country and I can’t say that for Tom Watson
Tom Watson went to far and for me there is no turning back he showed his true colours
This man is a menace to the labour party and an undercover blairite pseudo tory.
I’ve had emails asking who I am voting for . These are sent by the Labour party. As I have a suspicious mind I deleted them. I am sickened by the corruption in this leadership election.
I don’t recall ever telling the party who I intend to vote for, although I did, upon receipt of the first e.mail from Owen Smith, tell him that, if he really cared about uniting the Party, he would support our democratically elected leader, instead of standing against him. I did say that I did not vote for Mr. Corbyn but that I do support him and I suggest that Owen Smith does the same. I was still able to vote. It is worrisome, though, what has been happening. whatever happened to “innocent, until proven guilty?” Och, aye… Tony Blair.
Phishing involves a person or people unknown IMPERSONATING a person, people, a group or business to con them into divulging sensitive information, such as passwords to their paypal or bank account or similar, to defraud them. If the emails in Tom Watson’s name were sent by him or with his consent it isn’t phishing. Honestly. This blog gets ever more paranoid and silly by the day.
If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it’s a duck.
Your argument doesn’t stand up.
That means the insult at the end doesn’t stand up either.
Labour is much more open then this.
Labour party.
Dear Robert,
We are writing to ask if will you be voting in the leadership election, could you please indicate which candidate will you be voting for
Corbyn
Smith
Undecided
will not vote
Surely all they needed to know was if your going to voter, not whom your voting for.
just dont answer theres only 9 days left so hang on in there then you can vent as much as you like i no i have a dam good few words for them but i can wait
Would be nice if everyone replied “After the election”!
But by then it will be irrelevant, because he’ll know the answer when he receives his P45!
He was elected deputy leader and can’t be sacked unfortunately
I told him precisely what I thought of his achievements over the past twelve months. If I get suspended I will let you know.
My thoughts also.
Watson Is a Coward and it was he who probably ordered the mass resignation of the Sheep from the Shaddow Cabinet and outwith said Cabinet, Watson your position is untenable you did not resign along with your bleaters not because of your loyalty to the Labour Party and our Leader Mr Corbyn but to serve as the enemy within and a disruptive influence against us. You Sir are a Sly Untrustworthy Self Serving Right Wing elitist of questionable character who does not have one single Labour Bone in his ample body in fact your more than ample body no food banks for you then Eh! In answer to the caption under the image of Watson do you trust him aye a do about as much as I could throw him which would be no distance at all because I could not even lift the junk food guzzling waste disposal unit. Take a good look at his photograph when I look at him I see Cameron, Blair, Osborne, Jeremy Hunt, Tristum Hunt, Chukka Ummuna, Campbell, Mandellson! McNichol, McTernan, May, Davis, Johnstone, yep just another smug FTP Right Wing Elitist deemed not acceptable nor suitable for the Conservative Party this Right Wing Parasite followed Blair, Brown, Darling, et al in Hijacking the Labour Party and was an instrumental cog in the wheel of New Labour as him and his ilk dragged us from Socialism into the nightmare realm of Toryism all for his God and The Blairs God Money they were and are a Corrupt organisation who unbelievably Hypnotised and Brainwashed a whole NATION then proceeded to Rape and Pillage our Wealth just two examples of many should worry us. 1/ The selling at a rock bottom price of our Gold Reserves more alarming than this though is 2/ Which is the Illegal Raid on Pensions. There are many many more examples which can be researched dodgy dealings were and still are rife in the stagnant rotten remnants of Watsons New Labour.
“Mr Corbyn needs us let’s not Fail Him”
Sorry but he’s a smug looking c@nt! I apologise for my language mike!
I received an e.mail from Kate Green, entitled “we mustn’t go backwards.” I replied saying that, if life has taught me anything, it is that it is cyclical and gave examples. I stated that this election, like the referendum, was important and that if “she” was going to make bold statements like “Owen is the only candidate that can lead £abour back into government,” she must provide evidence. I said that, like the referendum, we need hard facts, not rhetoric, a few slogans and a wish list. I asked her to convince me why I should vote for Owen. I also stated that we have a leader who has been undermined at every turn and that our M.P.s had been irresponsible by turning against him when we had no government. I begged her to tell me what Owen can do. I am still awaiting a response. My guess is that I’ll wait forever.
By saying “Owen is the only candidate who can lead Labour back into government” she is making an implicit attack on the party leader. By contrast Jeremy’s 2 leadership campaigns have never been negative towards his opponents. I hope these sort of claims by the Smith campaign team will be investigated by a new, even-handed compliance committee when the new NEC starts business.
I had cat my vote, already but I wanted to know how hard he/ she/ they would campaign for my vote. Not very hard, it would seem. I am still awaiting a response.