UK: US will not repeat ridiculous spying claim

THE WHITE HOUSE has assured British Prime Minister Theresa May it would not repeat allegations that Britain’s GCHQ spy agency had helped former US President Barack Obama eavesdrop on Donald Trump, May’s spokesman said on Friday.

The spokesman said the charge, made on Tuesday by Fox Newsanalystandrewnapolitano, that Britain’s Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) signals intelligence agency had helped Obama wire tap Trump, was “ridiculous”.

“We’ve made clear to the administration that these claims are ridiculous and they should be ignored and we’ve received assurances that these allegations will not be repeated,” the spokesman told reporters.

Trump tweeted this month that his Democratic predecessor had wiretapped him during the late stages of the 2016 campaign. The Republican president offered no evidence for the allegation, which an Obama spokesman has said was “simply false”.

A White House official, said British officials had expressed their concern to senior Trump aides but the official declined to explicitly apologise for Spicer’s citation of the Fox News allegations.

A GCHQ spokesperson told Reuters on Friday: “We can’t go into private conversations but as the No. 10 (Downing Street) spokesperson has said this morning, there have been reassurances that these allegations won’t be repeated.”

In London, a UK spokesman said: “Our Ambassador has been in touch with Sean Spicer and others at the White House. Our National Security Advisers have been in touch as well. We have made clear these allegations are utterly ridiculous, and have received reassurances that they won’t be repeated.” REUTERS