LONDON: SeniorBritish politicians, including one of the contenders to be the next primeminister, joined journalists yesterday in criticizing police for warning medianot to publish leaked government documents, saying it was a "dangerousroad to tread". Last week, a Sunday newspaper published leaked memos fromBritain's Washington ambassador that provoked a serious diplomatic spat with USPresident Donald Trump and ultimately led to the envoy announcing hisresignation.
Britain's mostsenior counter-terrorism officer, Neil Basu, said on Friday police wouldinvestigate who was responsible but also warned journalists and publishers theytoo could be in breach of the law if further documents were leaked. "Iwould advise all owners, editors and publishers of social and mainstream medianot to publish leaked government documents that may already be in theirpossession, or which may be offered to them, and to turn them over to thepolice or give them back to their rightful owner, Her Majesty'sGovernment," Basu said. His comments provoked anger and criticism fromjournalists, editors and politicians who said it risked infringing the freedomof the press
"The statethreatening media freedom is a dangerous road to tread," Health MinisterMatt Hancock said on Twitter. George Osborne, editor of the London EveningStandard and a former finance minister, described the remarks as a "verystupid and ill-advised statement from a junior officer who doesn't appear tounderstand much about press freedom". His view was echoed by both menbattling to replace Theresa May as prime minister when she steps down on July24 because she failed to deliver Britain's exit from the European Union.
'That is theirjob'
Foreign SecretaryJeremy Hunt and his predecessor Boris Johnson said the leaker should be foundbut the press should not be targeted. "It cannot be conceivably right thatnewspapers or any other media organization publishing such material should faceprosecution," Johnson, also a former mayor of London, told an event incentral England.
Hunt wrote onTwitter: "I defend to the hilt the right of the press to publish thoseleaks if they receive them & judge them to be in the public interest: thatis their job." The Mail on Sunday newspaper last week published cablesfrom Kim Darroch, Britain's ambassador to the United States, in which he calledthe Trump administration "inept", prompting the president to labelhim "very stupid" and "wacky".
The spat hasbecome one of the central issues of the contest for the leadership of thegoverning Conservative Party and the next prime minister that will be decidedby about 160,000 members of the Conservative Party. A diplomatic source toldReuters that the lack of backing from the frontrunner, Boris Johnson, had beena factor in Darroch's decision to resign. Johnson himself acknowledged hiscomments had been partly responsible but denied he was to blame.
Not allpoliticians, though, felt the police were wrong. Security minister Ben Wallacesaid members of the public were bound by parts of the Official Secrets Act."If (journalists) are receiving stolen material they should give it backto their rightful owner and they should also be aware of the huge damage that'salready been done and the potentially even greater damage that could bedone," former defence minister Michael Fallon told BBC radio. - Reuters