NOW THE YARD PROBES ENVOY LEAK
Dramatic move as Boris concedes his failure to publicly back ambassador led to resignation
A CRIMINAL investigation was launched last night into the leaking of diplomatic cables written by Britain’s US ambassador.
Scotland Yard said it was hunting the culprit following the publication of Sir Kim Darroch’s thoughts on the White House regime.
The dramatic move came as Boris Johnson admitted his failure to stand up for Sir Kim had been a ‘factor’ in the diplomat’s decision to quit after the cables revealed he had called Donald Trump ‘inept’.
In an interview with the BBC’s Andrew Neil, the Tory leadership frontrunner was asked repeatedly why he had refused to guarantee Sir Kim would keep his job after he came under fire from Mr Trump.
He said it was ‘ridiculous’ to suggest he was guilty of being ‘craven’ to Mr Trump in the hope of securing a post-Brexit trade deal.
But Mr Johnson, who was later heckled with calls to ‘answer the bloody question’ as he was grilled over Sir Kim at a hustings, admitted the diplomat had told him he’d resigned partly because he thought he did not have his support.
Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu said the criminal probe will be handled by Scotland Yard’s counter terrorism command, which has responsibility for investigations involving the Official Secrets Act.
He said: ‘I am satisfied that there has been damage caused to UK international relations, and there would be clear public interest in bringing the person or people responsible to justice.’
Making a direct appeal to the leaker, he added: ‘I would say to the person or people who did this, the impact of what you have done is obvious. However, you are now also responsible for diverting busy detectives from undertaking their core mission. You can stop this now. Turn yourself in at the earliest opportunity, explain yourself and face the consequences.’ Following the leak, the President branded Sir Kim a ‘pompous fool’ and severed relations with him.
During a TV debate on Tuesday, Mr Johnson’s leadership rival Jeremy Hunt backed Sir Kim, saying it was vital that Britain was not pushed around.
Mr Johnson defended Sir Kim’s right to criticise Mr Trump, but refused four times to say whether he would allow him to keep his job.
Sir Kim quit the next morning, telling friends Mr Johnson’s refusal to back him had been a factor.
Mr Johnson yesterday said it was ‘not true’ he had failed to support Sir Kim. He said he had telephoned the diplomat, who told him he had not watched the TV debate. He said his own views had been ‘misrepresented’ to the ambassador.
Mr Johnson said he had also spoken to Sir Kim after his resignation, adding: ‘He said that what somebody had relayed to him had certainly played, had been a factor in his resignation.’
A diplomatic source last night disputed the claim, saying Sir Kim had watched a recording of the debate before quitting.
Mr Hunt last night said he had been ‘disappointed’ by Mr Johnson’s stance. ‘We have to back our diplomats all over the world,’ he
told Mr Neil. ‘Sir Kim was doing his job. He was giving his own personal, but totally honest, view about the country he was serving in.’
During a fractious interview, Mr Johnson tried to turn the tables on Mr Neil by saying the BBC’s coverage of Brexit had contributed to Britain’s failure to leave the EU. He said: ‘I just do think that that sort of BBC-generated gloom and negativity has helped to condition the mindset.’
Mr Johnson, the runaway favourite to succeed Theresa May this month, also admitted he had made a ‘mistake’ as foreign secretary by suggesting that British-Iranian charity worker Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe had been teaching journalism during a visit to Iran, where she has been jailed.
The false claim was seized on by the Iranian authorities, who have branded her a spy.
Appearing exasperated, he said: ‘People are going to want to blame me for absolutely anything.’
He also appeared uncomfortable when quizzed on his Brexit plan. Mr Johnson has said he would avoid tariffs in the event of No Deal by using the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.
But yesterday he acknowledged this required the agree ment of the EU. He said: ‘It might be possible and I accept that this has to be done by mutual agreement.’
Mr Hunt admitted that if there were a No Deal exit, he would not be able to afford his spending pledges on defence and social care.
The Foreign Secretary said he would stick by his pledges to cut corporation tax because that would help ‘turbo-charge’ the economy.
‘But the other spending commitments, for example the defence spending pledge, that... would take longer in a No Deal situation,’ he said.
Asked about his vow to take more workers out of National Insurance, he said: ‘Not if we had a No Deal Brexit. It would take longer to do.’
‘Face the consequences’