Tory vice-chair Kemi Badenoch admits hacking Labour MP's website

A rising star in the Conservative Party has apologised after she admitted she hacked a Labour MP's website and altered its content.

Kemi Badenoch, the hotly tipped MP for Saffron Walden, made the confession in a video obtained by The Mail On Sunday.

Asked what is the naughtiest she's ever done, the 38-year-old replied: "About 10 years ago I hacked into a Labour MP's website and I changed all the stuff in there to say nice things about Tories.

"This was a foolish prank over a decade ago, for which I apologise."

Mrs Badenoch did not name the Labour MP in question but former cabinet minister Harriet Harman later tweeted: "@KemiBadenoch has written to me apologising. I have accepted her apology."

In 2008, it was reported Ms Harman's personal website was hacked and updated with a post apparently announcing her defection to the Conservative Party.

The 38-year-old was appointed a Tory vice-chair this year

Another hacked post called for Londoners to support Boris Johnson's bid to become Mayor of London.

Under the Computer Misuse Act 1990, unauthorised access to computer material can result in two years' imprisonment and/or a fine.

Mustafa Al-Bassam, a PhD researcher at University College London's computer science department, revealed he had submitted a crime report to the UK's national reporting centre for fraud and cyber crime.

He posted on Twitter: "I hope they do take this matter seriously, and apply the law equally to Tory MPs as they do to hacktivists who have gone to jail for less."

Mrs Badenoch, a former London Assembly member, was elected an MP at last year's snap general election.

She has since been appointed Tory vice-chair with responsibility for selecting candidates for the 2022 election.

Mrs Badenoch was also given the honour of introducing Theresa May at last year's Conservative Party conference.

On Friday night, she was guest speaker at the annual dinner of the Prime Minister's constituency party.

(SKYNEWS)