Diplomatic leaks ‘point to serious crime’
POLICE have evidence “a very serious crime” was committed when diplomatic cables by Britain’s US ambassador were leaked, the country’s most senior officer has said.
Scotland Yard was asked to investigate if there was an Official Secrets Act breach when details of the secret memos appeared in the press in July.
US-UK relations were plunged into crisis as Donald Trump reacted with fury to suggestions by Sir Kim Darroch that his administration was “clumsy and inept”. The diplomat eventually resigned over the row.
Yesterday, Cressida Dick, the Metropolitan Police commissioner, provided fresh details about the saga, saying the investigation into the leak “continues”.
“We’re taking a careful and proportionate approach and I’m content that we’re in the right place,” she told the Evening Standard. “We have prima facie evidence of a very serious crime.”
Sir Kim’s sensitive briefings were published in detail by The Mail on Sunday, revealing his frank views on the current state of Washington politics. It claimed the cables had been leaked to Steven Edginton, a freelance journalist with links to the Brexit Party.