David Cameron has been the victim of a hoax phone call and messages from someone claiming to be the former president of Ukraine, it has been confirmed.
The Foreign Secretary swapped “a number of text messages” with someone claiming to be Petro Poroshenko. They later had a brief video call. Lord Cameron suspected all was not what it seemed when the mystery person asked for contact details. The Foreign Office revealed it was admitting the mistake in case the “video is used” of the ex-Prime Minister.
A statement released by the Foreign Office said: “A number of text messages were exchanged followed by a brief video call between the Foreign Secretary and someone purporting to be Petro Poroshenko, former president of Ukraine.
“Whilst the video call clearly appeared to be with Mr Poroshenko, following the conversation the Foreign Secretary became suspicious. Contact details for others were requested and, given his concerns, the Foreign Secretary stopped responding.
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AFP via Getty Images)
“The department has now investigated and confirmed that it was not genuine and that the messages and video call were a hoax. We are making this public in case the video of the Foreign Secretary is manipulated and subsequently used, and to ensure others are aware of this risk.”
Last month it was reported David Cameron blew an estimated £60,000 hiring a luxury private jet to fly him to Albania – only to be forced to return to London after just an hour and a half so Rishi Sunak could call the election. He was was due to visit capital Tirana, where he would be given a lavish welcome – with union flags lining the streets and a three-storey photo of himself draped on a government building.
But the jet – an Embraer Legacy 600 rented from Maltese firm Vistajet – was only on the ground for 89 minutes before he was summoned to an emergency Cabinet meeting. Taxpayers would have paid the £8,600-an-hour cost of renting the luxury aircraft, which features plush leather seating for up to thirteen passengers – or lay-flat beds for five – on-board wifi, a blu-ray player and a fully-stocked galley with an oven, microwave and coffee-maker.
Emily Thornberry, Labour ’s Shadow Attorney General said: “This sums up so much of what’s wrong with this government: the grotesque waste of taxpayers’ money spent chartering yet another luxury private jet.
“The incredible chaos of having to rush back to London after less than two hours in Albania; and the sheer arrogance of treating a crucial NATO ally with such disrespect.”