Robinson tracks Prime Minister's phone calls using scanner

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​TRANSCRIPT--News of the World—28 May 1987
Blunder Bus! Scandal of £100 gadget that puts Maggie’s life in danger

An amazing breach of security has made Maggie Thatcher a sitting target for terrorists.

As the Prime Minister storms the country on the election trail in her bomb-proof bus, would-be snipers can listen to her top-secret plans.

Mrs Thatcher’s battle bus communications system has been cracked by a little black box of computer wizardry.

Available at any High Street electrical shop for £100, the black box can monitor sensitive telephone conversations.

The chink in communications was exposed by security consultant Chris Robinson.

As the Prime Minister toured Lancashire last Friday, he listened to calls between No. 10 Downing Street and the bus.

In one conversation an aide with the Thatcher party told his wife: “We will be flying from Gatwick and I don’t have to be there until 10 o’clock.”

Another assistant called Stephen chatted with a colleague, Charles in London.

Charles told him: “The PM has agreed to debate with a TV audience for Channel 4 News on Monday June 8.

LEAKS

It’s being recorded on the 8th. I had a vague ambition of going to Venice on that day.

“Kinnock is doing it on the Friday. Owen and Steel on the Tuesday after the PM.
Charles goes on to say: “The tapes have been running about those bloody doctors who have been writing to the Times. That’s the only hostile story.”

Mr. Robinson said: “If a terrorist were to listen in for a few days he’d have a detailed record of the Prime Minister’s movements.

“She’d become and easy target for a sniper.”

“I think the Prime Minister should know her communications network leaks like sieve.”

For three hours Mr Robinson followed the blue battle bus at distances of up to five miles as Maggie visited a biscuit factory in Nelson and the British Aerospace plant near Preston.

His equipment, a radio scanner about ten inches by ten, was plugged into the cigarette lighter in his car dashboard.

Mr Robinson said: “This equipment is easily available and simple to operate. It just takes a few minutes to work it.

“Talk about battle bus… it should be Maggie’s blunder bus.”

Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, visits a biscuit factory