The recent revelation that several Labour MPs, including Prime Minister Keir Starmer, use disappearing WhatsApp messages has sparked debate. Downing Street confirmed that Starmer employs the feature, meaning conversations with figures like Peter Mandelson may be lost. Rachel Reeves and David Lammy are also reported to use it.
The author, who accidentally enabled disappearing messages, describes the experience as mortifying yet exhilarating. They note that younger generations, like their teenage child, routinely use disappearing features on Snapchat and Instagram to avoid leaving a digital footprint.
Peter Mandelson's leaked WhatsApps, released as part of a data dump, include messages urging colleagues to vote for him as Oxford University chancellor and a barrage of texts to Ed Miliband, who had an automated reply. Mandelson also told David Lammy that becoming US ambassador would be "the last thing I do in public life."
The author warns that such leaks may lead politicians to avoid detailed messaging, potentially reducing communication to basic plans. They compare the government to a confused group chat, frantically searching for lost information. In contrast, Tony Blair was a digital refusenik, only getting his first mobile phone after leaving office in 2007.
