UK moves to limit fallout from envoy’s leaked memos on Trump

LONDON: Prime Minister Theresa May moved to contain the diplomatic fallout with the US, following the leak of memos written by the UK’s ambassador in Washington describing President Donald Trump’s administration as “inept”.

The Cabinet Office is leading an investigation into the leak after the Mail on Sunday reported the content of cables written by Kim Darroch, a career diplomat who’s been his country’s top representative in the US since 2016. May’s spokesman, James Slack, told reporters on Monday the British government has contacted the US, calling the leak a “matter of regret”. He stopped short of saying the UK has apologised for the content of the memos.

“The leak is absolutely unacceptable and as you would expect contact has been made with the Trump administration saying this is unacceptable,” Slack said, adding that while May doesn’t share Darroch’s views, she retains “full faith” in him. “The prime minister has a good relationship with the president,” Slack said.

Trump reacted angrily to the diplomatic communications — known as diptels — on Sunday. “We-’re not big fans of that man, and he has not served the Britain well,” he told reporters. “I can say things about him, but I won’t bother.”

International Trade Secretary Liam Fox, who is meeting Ivanka Trump in the US on Monday, told BBC Radio there's no reason Darroch shouldn't remain in post, and called for the person responsible for the leak to be punished.

“I don't see frankly that this is an impediment to the ambassador being able to work in Washington,” Fox said. “Malicious leaks of this nature are unprofessional, they're unethical and they're unpatriotic because they can actually lead to damage to that relationship which can therefore affect our wider security interests.”