Corbyn ‘could pass US intelligence to Russia’

JEREMY CORBYN could pass classified US intelligence to Russia and Iran if he becomes prime minister, Donald Trump has been warned.

A report, backed by former advisers to the US president, urges Mr Trump to consider withholding sensitive information and even pushing for the country’s Nato membership to be “downgraded” if the Labour leader enters Downing Street. The analysis, by a Washington DC think tank, highlights the support displayed for Mr Putin by some of Mr Corbyn’s advisers and claims the UK will “cease to become a reliable partner” under his leadership.

It cites Mr Corbyn’s response to the Salisbury attack, as part of which he demanded evidence of Kremlin involvement, and his spokesman suggested any such intelligence could be unreliable because of failures over weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

The report highlights mounting fears about a Corbyn premiership, amid the likelihood of a general election in the coming months. Last week, a ComRes poll for The Telegraph put Labour a point behind the Tories.

The report was written by Dr Azeem Ibrahim, a professor at the US army’s war college, and will be published this week by the Hudson Institute, a think

tank at which Mike Pence, the vicepresident, delivered a speech last year.

The analysis states that if Labour takes office, there would be a “serious risk that information passed to Corbyn or his allies could be compromised, especially if it involves Russia or Iran”.

It warns that Mr Corbyn could “actively side with Russia” and “block or undermine any actions it sees as inimical to Putin’s interests”.

It would be “prudent” for the US to give “serious consideration to downgrading or even suspending a Corbynled government from the Five Eyes intelligence alliance and temporarily demoting its Nato membership.”

Michael Chertoff, secretary of homeland security between 2005 and 2009, said: “This report highlights some very important national security issues around … a Corbyn government which may raise serious turbulence in the USUK special relationship.”

In a foreword, Sir Malcolm Rifkind, the former foreign secretary, claims that Mr Corbyn “could weaken the UK’s impressive intelligence agencies by depriving them of funds and ordering them to change their priorities”.

The report states that the “implications” of a Mr Corbyn premiership for security and military co-operation between the countries “are substantial”.

A Labour spokesman insisted that Mr Corbyn “will always do whatever is necessary and effective to keep our people safe”. He added: “Jeremy has consistently made the correct calls in the interests of Britain’s security and international peace.”

A Labour source added: “This Rightwing, Republican think tank of course wants to keep Trump’s poodle Boris Johnson in No 10.”