UK police warning to media over diplomat's leaked memos stirs anger

[rooster59]

UK police warning to media over diplomat's leaked memos stirs anger

By Michael Holden

 

Assistant Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Neil Basu speaks to the media after a car crashed outside the Houses of Parliament in Westminster, London, Britain, August 14, 2018. REUTERS/Hannah McKay/Files

 

LONDON (Reuters) - Senior British politicians, including both contenders to be the next prime minister, joined journalists on Saturday in criticising police for warning media not to publish leaked government documents, saying it was a "dangerous road to tread".

 

Last week, a Sunday newspaper published leaked memos from Britain's Washington ambassador that provoked a serious diplomatic spat with U.S. President Donald Trump and ultimately led to the envoy announcing his resignation.

 

Britain's most senior counter-terrorism officer, Neil Basu, said on Friday police would investigate who was responsible but also warned journalists and publishers they too could be in breach of the law if further documents were leaked.

 

His comments provoked anger and criticism from journalists, editors and politicians who said it risked infringing the freedom of the press.

 

The Society of Editors described it as a heavy-handed approach that would be expected from totalitarian regimes and George Osborne, editor of the London Evening Standard and a former finance minister, called it a "very stupid and ill-advised statement from a junior officer who doesn't appear to understand much about press freedom".

 

"The state threatening media freedom is a dangerous road to tread," Health Minister Matt Hancock said on Twitter.

 

Basu issued a further statement on Saturday, stating that the police respected media rights but reiterating the message that there should be no further publication of the leaked documents and others which he said remained in circulation.

 

"The focus of the investigation is clearly on identifying who was responsible for the leak," Basu said.

 

"However, we have also been told the publication of these specific documents, now knowing they may be a breach of the OSA (Official Secrets Act), could also constitute a criminal offence and one that carries no public interest defence."

 

Both men battling to replace Theresa May as prime minister when she steps down on July 24 because she failed to deliver Britain's exit from the European Union, had earlier said the warning from Basu was wrong.

 

"THAT IS THEIR JOB"

 

"It cannot be conceivably right that newspapers or any other media organisation publishing such material should face prosecution," former London Mayor Johnson told an event in central England.

 

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt wrote on Twitter: "I defend to the hilt the right of the press to publish those leaks if they receive them & judge them to be in the public interest: that is their job."

 

Both said the leaker should be found but the press should not be targeted.

 

The Mail on Sunday newspaper last week published cables from Kim Darroch, Britain's ambassador to the United States, in which he called the Trump administration "inept", prompting the president to label him "very stupid" and "wacky".

 

The spat has become one of the central issues of the contest for the leadership of the governing Conservative Party and the next prime minister that will be decided by about 160,000 members of the Conservative Party. A diplomatic source told Reuters that the lack of backing from the frontrunner, Boris Johnson, had been a factor in Darroch's decision to resign.

 

Johnson himself acknowledged his comments had been partly responsible but denied he was to blame.

 

Not all politicians, though, felt the police were wrong. Security minister Ben Wallace said members of the public were bound by parts of the Official Secrets Act.

 

"If (journalists) are receiving stolen material they should give it back to their rightful owner and they should also be aware of the huge damage that's already been done and the potentially even greater damage that could be done," former defence minister Michael Fallon told BBC radio.

 

(Editing by Mark Heinrich and Ros Russell)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-07-14

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[keith101]

11 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

The Mail on Sunday newspaper last week published cables from Kim Darroch, Britain's ambassador to the United States, in which he called the Trump administration "inept", prompting the president to label him "very stupid" and "wacky".

He got it right about the admin and Trump was obviously looking at himself in the mirror with the "very stupid" and "wacky" comments and is the man most likely to cause World War 3 if it ever happens IMO .

[Somtamnication]

Scary stuff. But then again, my old home has secret courts, defendants' names protected, etc etc. Strange world we live in.

[BobBKK]

If they knowingly publish something that breaks the secrets act then how can they complain?  Fire the leaker and 3 years prison and fine the newspapers job done.

[klauskunkel]

50 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

"The focus of the investigation is clearly on identifying who was responsible for the leak," Basu said.

"However, we have also been told the publication of these specific documents, now knowing they may be a breach of the OSA (Official Secrets Act), could also constitute a criminal offence and one that carries no public interest defence."

"We have been told"... and who exactly told you that, Mr. Basu? Can't say it, huh, because it would be a leak?

[expatfromwyoming]

How very Trumplike!!!!

[Krataiboy]

2 hours ago, BobBKK said:

If they knowingly publish something that breaks the secrets act then how can they complain?  Fire the leaker and 3 years prison and fine the newspapers job done.

Nothing to lose but your chains.

[BobBKK]

4 minutes ago, Krataiboy said:

Nothing to lose but your chains.

I'm not actually a fan of attacking the papers but they do need to be careful. The Daily Mail is an appalling rag. Of more import is catch the traitorous person who leaked.

[jesimps]

There's no excuse for leaking classified information, especially as the leaker will have signed the official secrets act, no doubt about it. I hope they throw the book at the leaker when found. Saying that, I couldn't be more pleased that Darroch will no longer be our man in the US.

[Krataiboy]

1 hour ago, BobBKK said:

I'm not actually a fan of attacking the papers but they do need to be careful. The Daily Mail is an appalling rag. Of more import is catch the traitorous person who leaked.

Really? I reckon we owe them a huge favour. But then, I also regard Julian Assange as more of a saint than a sinner.

 

Like I say, nothing to lose. . . 

[Srikcir]

One responsible duty of a journalist or news media in a leak of confidential government documents is to confirm by independent sources the validity of the alleged leaked materials (ie., embassy cables). It would be just as irresponsible if not more so to disclose fake information that might be intended to harm an elected official or political party, especially given the upcoming selection of a new UK Prime Minister.

Did the journalists/publishers perform such due diligence?

Or was that due diligence unnecessary if it was known in advance that theft was going to occur and had been offered in advance the documents to be leaked? If this was the scenario, there is a case to be made of co-conspirator in the criminal theft of the stolen documents.

[dick dasterdly]

One can only laugh at this silly statement.

 

I'd laugh my socks off if the initiator of this leak turned out to be daroch - but of course, it's extremely unlikely that we'll ever know the genuine truth.

[jinners]

5 hours ago, keith101 said:

He got it right about the admin and Trump was obviously looking at himself in the mirror with the "very stupid" and "wacky" comments and is the man most likely to cause World War 3 if it ever happens IMO .

and is the man most likely to cause World War 3 if it ever happens IMO .

 

Did you not see the picture of Obama viewing N Korea from the DMZ behind bullet proof glass and the one with Trump walking in to NK with Kim Jong? Did you not see Trump had called off air strikes against Iran? Did you not see Bush was responsible for destroying the Middle east while Obama continued with the process as Trump is trying to remove the military from there? You have TDS obviously. Very sad.

[jinners]

1 hour ago, BobBKK said:

I'm not actually a fan of attacking the papers but they do need to be careful. The Daily Mail is an appalling rag. Of more import is catch the traitorous person who leaked.

Really?! With an ass like that as ambassador to the US and you are more concerned that someone felt it necessary to out him and his foolish bigoted views? Weird.

[RuamRudy]

55 minutes ago, jesimps said:

There's no excuse for leaking classified information, especially as the leaker will have signed the official secrets act, no doubt about it. I hope they throw the book at the leaker when found. Saying that, I couldn't be more pleased that Darroch will no longer be our man in the US.

I would guess that most people would have been unaware of his existence other than that there was a UK ambassador to the US. What specific aspects of his performance did you object to?

[simple1]

More info has been leaked by Mail On Sunday from Darroch's cables claiming trump pulled out of the Iran Nuclear agreement to spite Obama.

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-48978484

[JAG]

All this talk of The Official Secrets Act reminds me of Bernard Woolley from "Yes Minister":

"That's one of those irregular verbs, isn't it? I give confidential security briefings. You leak. He has been charged under section 2a of the Official Secrets Act."

[JAG]

12 minutes ago, simple1 said:

More info has been leaked by Mail On Sunday from Darroch's cables claiming trump pulled out of the Iran Nuclear agreement to spite Obama.

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-48978484

Very very many of Trumps actions and policies are driven by his burning desire to spite Obama

[Basil B]

40 minutes ago, simple1 said:

More info has been leaked by Mail On Sunday from Darroch's cables claiming trump pulled out of the Iran Nuclear agreement to spite Obama.

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-48978484

Problem is although probably true Darroch was probably only quoting gosip, but that is his job and the reason his communications should remain confidential.

 

Papers saying this is in the public interest seems to have been out weighed by the fallout not being in the public interest... 

[simple1]

3 minutes ago, Basil B said:

Problem is although probably true Darroch was probably only quoting gosip, but that is his job and the reason his communications should remain confidential.

 

Papers saying this is in the public interest seems to have been out weighed by the fallout not being in the public interest... 

Not so sure 'quoting gossip', Darroch had good connections in trump's inner circle.

[RuamRudy]

4 minutes ago, Basil B said:

Problem is although probably true Darroch was probably only quoting gosip, but that is his job and the reason his communications should remain confidential.

 

Papers saying this is in the public interest seems to have been out weighed by the fallout not being in the public interest... 

A twitter post admittedly, but I read that other countries which routinely share diplomatic info with the UK are now questioning whether the UK is a reliable partner for future information sharing. 

[tomacht8]

That Trump and his administration is "inept".

 

This should be a security-related secret?

 

That's laughable.

The whole world sees how Trump and his assistants perform. "Inept" there is still a very benevolent description for this association of the brainless.

[Basil B]

3 minutes ago, tomacht8 said:

That Trump and his administration is "inept".

 

This should be a security-related secret?

 

That's laughable.

The whole world sees how Trump and his assistants perform. "Inept" there is still a very benevolent description for this association of the brainless.

Yes, if the source of the quote wrote it in the strictest confidentiality, someone leaked this to the press... they remain nameless.

 

I hope they nail whoever it was as soon as possible. 

[bomber]

1 hour ago, jinners said:

and is the man most likely to cause World War 3 if it ever happens IMO .

 

Did you not see the picture of Obama viewing N Korea from the DMZ behind bullet proof glass and the one with Trump walking in to NK with Kim Jong? Did you not see Trump had called off air strikes against Iran? Did you not see Bush was responsible for destroying the Middle east while Obama continued with the process as Trump is trying to remove the military from there? You have TDS obviously. Very sad.

Obama feared crackpot Kim,trump feels at home with him.

[dunroaming]

Freedom of press is essential.  For once I agree with Johnson, who is of course, a member of the press.

[anterian]

As the Ambassador was very strongly pro European and a rift with America would help the pro EU faction in the UK, plus he was due to retire anyway, I suggest the Ambassador was the source of the leak. I'm sure he know how to use the diplomatic bag.

 

[Nigel Garvie]

4 hours ago, RuamRudy said:

I would guess that most people would have been unaware of his existence other than that there was a UK ambassador to the US. What specific aspects of his performance did you object to?

Precisely, ask any of the posters to name 3 UK Ambassadors to any countries (Without looking them up) and the results would be embarrassing. Meanwhile we get  to read a stream of sad drivel where posters suggest that they know all about him, his views, his motives, and even the lunatic belief that he leaked to get himself sacked from his own job. What was the rush? 

 

Hiding within this is the clear message that they dislike him because, like millions of other sane people in the UK,  he thinks Brexit is not the wisest idea the UK have ever had. How on earth he was going to influence the course of Brexit as an ambassador to the US god only knows. Maybe the Brexiteers want a Stalinist purge of the civil service.

 

Of course he was 100% right about Trump, the sage of Baltimore couldn't have put it better, amazing prescience.

[bristolboy]

6 hours ago, jinners said:

and is the man most likely to cause World War 3 if it ever happens IMO .

 

Did you not see the picture of Obama viewing N Korea from the DMZ behind bullet proof glass and the one with Trump walking in to NK with Kim Jong? Did you not see Trump had called off air strikes against Iran? Did you not see Bush was responsible for destroying the Middle east while Obama continued with the process as Trump is trying to remove the military from there? You have TDS obviously. Very sad.

You mean the picture of Trump giving Kim more favorable publicity?

If Trump hadn't initiated his aggressive policy against Iran there wouldn't be the need to call of air strikes.

If Trump is trying to remove troops from the Middle East why is he sending more? Why is a U.S. flotilla now patrolling the Persian Gulf? Just possibly because Trump is trying for regime change in Iran? The Derangement is all on your part.

[BobBKK]

20 hours ago, jinners said:

Really?! With an ass like that as ambassador to the US and you are more concerned that someone felt it necessary to out him and his foolish bigoted views? Weird.

What?  your post makes no sense. The leaker is obviously trying to play Trump politics and embarrass POTUS.