Senior MPs demand Scotland Yard backtracks on warning to press after Sir Kim Darroch leak

Neil Basu (left) has been criticised for his comments after memos from Sir Kim Darroch (right) were leaked
PA Wire
Jacob Jarvis15 July 2019

Senior MPs have demanded Scotland Yard backtracks after warning the media not to publish leaks following the publication of confidential memos from the UK's ambassador to Washington.

An investigation is underway into the leak of messages written by Sir Kim Darroch, who resigned amid the furore, which criticised the Trump administration.

In a statement outlining the Met investigation, the force's assistant commissioner stated that the publication of such Government communications could be a "criminal matter".

This has prompted a backlash, with Mr Basu defending his comments by stating the Met has "no intention of seeking to prevent editors from publishing stories in the public interest in a liberal democracy".

Donald Trump's White House was criticised in the leaked memos
AFP/Getty Images

Despite this, there is continuing anger in many quarters, with former Brexit secretary David Davis calling for Mr Basu to be pulled from the leak investigation.

Mr Davis wrote to the Times accusing Mr Basu of "straying beyond his brief" while calling on commissioner Cressida Dick to put the investigation in the hands of "an officer who puts preservation of our free press ahead of protection of the state's reputation".

He said prosecuting journalists for "embarrassing the state is not what we do in the UK".

David Davis, former Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union
REUTERS

The chairman of the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport committee Damian Collins urged the force to focus on the leaker, rather than the media publishing the leaks.

He told the Sun: "The Metropolitan Police should... make it clear that there is no legal risk for newspapers freely reporting on the leaked documents.

"Neil Basu's statement was clearly a threat aimed at newspaper editors encouraging them not to report on a story, in which there is clear public interest.

"This was wrong. If an offence has been committed, it is by the leaker and the police investigation should focus on that."

Damian Collins said the investigation should focus on the person behind the leak
Getty Images

While the chairman of the Commons Foreign Affairs committee Tom Tugendhat told the Sun: “Police threats to media freedom have no place in the UK.”

Previously Tory leadership contenders Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt backed the media's right to publish any further leaked cables from Sir Kim Darroch.

Mr Johnson said that any criminal action over publication of the leaks from the former British ambassador to the US would be an "infringement on press freedom", while Mr Hunt also said he would defend any further publication of leaked "to the hilt" if editors judged that it was in the public interest.

Tom Tugendhat said there was no place for threats to the media in the UK
AFP/Getty Images

Sir Kim resigned last week saying his position had become "impossible" following the leak of diplomatic cables, in which he described Donald Trump's White House as "inept" and "dysfunctional".

His comments drew a furious Twitter tirade from the President.

Mr Trump denounced him as a "very stupid guy" and a "pompous fool", and said the White House would no longer deal with him, though he later said he wished him well and he heard Sir Kim said some positive things about him.

In a statement responding to criticism from politicians and editors, Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu said: "The Metropolitan Police respect the rights of the media and has no intention of seeking to prevent editors from publishing stories in the public interest in a liberal democracy.

"The media hold an important role in scrutinising the actions of the state.

"We are however a body charged with enforcing the law, and we have received legal advice that has caused us to start a criminal enquiry into the leak of these specific documents as a potential breach of the Official Secrets Act (OSA).

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

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

"We know these documents and potentially others remain in circulation.

"We have a duty to prevent as well as detect crime and the previous statement was intended to alert to the risk of breaching the OSA."

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