If you want to keep a secret, don't speak to a journalist.

This week I found myself in an awkward position, that of defending the actions of Isabel Oakeshott, I’ll say that again, defending THE ACTIONS of Isabel Oakeshott.

I will not defend Oakeshott herself, there is nothing to defend, she is a journalist who would sell her own grandmother if she thought she could get a story out of it and she takes immense pleasure in seeing others suffer, but her actions in ‘leaking’ the Matt Hancock WhatsApp cash can be defended. 

The duty of any journalist, no matter the publication or the political leaning of that publication, is to write and get to print stories in the public interest and this was one such story. It is also the duty of any journalist not to consider any conversation, tip, or lead as being off the record. If you don’t want a story published or broadcast, then don’t speak to a journalist. You can of course speak on the condition of anonymity as the reporter has a duty to protect their sources, but ‘off the record’ doesn’t exist any journalist telling you it does is quite frankly fibbing.

Oakeshott’s own motivations for releasing the messages, be they political or personal, are a matter for another debate, which is already raging in other quarters, but the actual handing over of those messages is itself an example of ‘nothing is off the record if it is in the interest of the public to know.  

No matter where you stand on the political spectrum it is difficult to argue against these messages being in the public interest, because not only does it show a government in disarray and ignoring the advice of the scientists and healthcare experts, but it also shows a government literally running the country via a WhatsApp group and circumventing the well establishes procedures set in place to ensure public accountability.  

It may seem boring to do things the ‘old fashioned way’ but this is running of G7 country we are talking about, not a workplace in rural Hampshire discussing why Gavin from accounts insists on bringing egg sandwiches to work every Wednesday. WhatsApp has its place, but it isn’t in the running of a country!

The messages have exposed what we long knew to be the case, that our country, under the rule of the Tories is an old boys’ network who have nothing but disdain for the general public, who believe they should never be held accountable for their actions and will always try and shift the blame onto someone or something else.