The Aberdeen South politician was hoodwinked by Channel Four show Ministry of Justice, in an echo of an infamous prank on the 1990s mockumentary
TORY MP Ross Thomson was tricked by a spoof TV show crew into condemning a fake drug-dealing app called “InstantGrammes”.
The Aberdeen South politician was hoodwinked by Channel Four show Ministry of Justice, in an echo of a infamous prank on 1990s mock documentary Brass Eye.
In the programme's first episode Mr Thomson blasted the fictional "fairtrade" smartphone app.
He was told it helps to deliver illegal drugs - but also plug cash back into educating children working in South American cocaine plantations.
At the end of the fake promo video, it's warned trespassers to the Colombian facility would be shot on sight.
The film crew tried to trick Mr Thomson into backing the app by showing him a high-quality promo video with child actors saying schooling funded by InstantGrammes had turned their lives around.
The video shown to Mr Thomson shows one of the child "workers" speaking in Spanish with subtitles.
He tells how he started working at the factory when he was nine, but his and other children's lives have been turned around due to InstantGrammes funding.
The boys says the app firm pays for a school called "Instituto del Sagrado Polvo Blanco" - which translates as Institute of the Sacred White Powder.
Throughout the high-quality promo video, Coldplay's Fix You plays as soundtrack.
Mr Thomson is shown sat a chair, watching it on a laptop, and shaking his head with apparent disapproval.
The boy says: "Here at the Instituto del Sagrado Polvo Blanco, we're finally getting the education we dream of.. It's half school, half drugs plantation, where we do equal amounts of school work and drug-making. Best of all, it's fairtrade!"
The boy adds that 10 per cent of profits go to funding lessons.
Smiling, he adds: "Thank you, InstantGrammes, from the children of Columbia - you are giving us a better future."
Various children, with drug factory-style dust masks on, are then shown giving the thumbs up to the camera.
The boy adds: "Well, I must get to class - If I am late the teacher will make me do lines."
After watching, the MP told the crew: “Watching that video made my skin crawl.
“You’ve got these young kids in Colombia being exploited to say that somehow ‘actually drugs are making my life a lot better’. Of course it’s not.
“These kids were probably made to do that. That’s absolutely not the case.
“The development of apps like InstantGrammes, which can easily be downloaded onto your phone or tablet to order drugs, makes it look cool, and I know it sounds ridiculous, but it makes it look cool.”
Producers also succeeded in conning former Tory leader Ian Duncan Smith into thinking the delivery app was real.
The set-up has echoes of legendary 1990s spoof documentary Brass Eye, made by satirist Chris Morris.
In 1997, Tory MP David Amess was one of a string of public figures pranked by into condemning fictional drug "Cake".
The SNP's Aberdeen North MP Kirsty Blackman said: "This is an astonishing display of poor judgement, even by Ross Thomson's standards.
"The issue of drug abuse and addiction incredibly serious, and it is vital that MPs educate themselves on facts presented by reputable organisations."
In an episode of BBC's Question Time in October, Mr Thomson claimed was is quicker to get a home deliver of cocaine in Glasgow via an app than it is to order a pizza.
Ms Blackman added: "The fact Ross Thomson fell for this blindingly obvious prank might might go some way to explain his ill-informed claims over drugs made during a recent Question Time appearance.
"Frankly, I think people will be taken aback to witness an MP being so gullible - but then this is a man who thinks Brexit will be good for this city despite consistent evidence Aberdeen will be hit the hardest by it."
Asked about the prank, Mr Thomson said: “These people presented themselves as a legitimate production company.
“Along with other parliamentary colleagues, I took what they said at face value.
“I think this is a pretty underhanded way to approach a very serious issue.”
Mr Duncan Smith was shown on the programme flicking through information about "InstantGrammes" on an iPad.
Being interviewed by the crew afterwards, he says: "You have these apps such as InstantGrammes and others using the technology that exists at the moment.
"To be able to deliver drugs in a way that they would have delivered before, but now slightly easier."
He said government had the ability to "close them down", adding: "Penetrating these sites is not difficult."
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