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A8 WORLD NEWS
Monday 15 July 2019

Leaked UK memo says Trump axed Iran deal to spite Obama

By JILL LAWLESS they are angry that a British be replaced with “a non-
Associated Press ambassador was forced Remainer who wants a
LONDON (AP) — A U.K. to step down because of trade deal with America.”
newspaper has published pressure from a foreign Police are investigating the
more leaked memos re- leader. leak as a potential breach
vealing a British ambassa- Some also blame Johnson, of the Official Secrets Act,
dor’s blunt assessments of who is likely to become Brit- which bars public servants
the Trump administration, ain’s next prime minister, from making “damaging”
including one in which for refusing to publicly de- disclosures of classified ma-
the envoy to Washington fend Darroch after Trump terial. Breaking the act car-
claimed President Donald posted disparaging tweets ries a maximum sentence of
Trump pulled out of the Iran about the ambassador for two years in prison, though
nuclear deal to spite pre- two days. Darroch has said prosecutions are rare.
decessor Barack Obama. Johnson’s silence contrib- Contentiously, police issued
In the May 2018 cable pub- uted to his decision to quit. a warning to journalists that
lished by the Mail on Sun- In this Friday, Oct. 20, 2017, file photo, British Ambassador Kim British officials have said publishing the documents
day, U.K. Ambassador Kim Darroch hosts a National Economists Club event at the British they have no evidence “could also constitute a
Darroch called Trump’s de- Embassy in Washington. that hacking was involved criminal offence.”
cision to abandon the in- Associated Press in the documents’ release, Both Johnson and Jeremy
ternational accord “an act new details from confiden- ing Darroch “very stupid” and that the culprit is likely Hunt, his rival in the race
of diplomatic vandalism, tial diplomatic cables de- and a “pompous fool” in to be found among poli- to be Britain’s next leader,
seemingly for ideological spite a police warning that a Twitter fusillade, and the ticians or civil servants in defended the media’s right
and personality reasons” making the documents White House cut off con- London. to publish. And the Mail on
because the pact “was public might be a crime. tact with the British envoy. Rumors are swirling in gov- Sunday said publication
Obama’s deal.” Scotland Yard is hunting for Darroch announced his ernment circles in London was in the public interest.
Darroch wrote the memo the perpetrator who leaked resignation Wednesday, about who was behind the “Our readers across the
after then-Foreign Secre- confidential diplomatic ca- saying “the current situa- leak, widely seen as ben- globe now have important
tary Boris Johnson visited bles to the Mail on Sunday. tion is making it impossible efiting supporters of Brexit information about how Brit-
Washington in a failed at- Last week the newspaper for me to carry out my role and Trump. ain tried, but failed, to stop
tempt to persuade the Unit- published memos from Dar- as I would like.” The journalist who reported President Trump abandon-
ed States not to abandon roch describing the Trump He remains formally in the the cables, Isabel Oake- ing the Iran nuclear deal,”
the 2015 nuclear agree- administration as dysfunc- post while a successor is shott, is a strong supporter the newspaper said in a
ment. tional and inept. chosen for one of Britain’s of Brexit and an ally of Brexit statement.
He alleged the White House The publication of the am- most important diplomatic Party leader Nigel Farage, “What could be more in the
had no strategy for what bassador’s unguarded jobs. who also is Britain’s leading public interest than a bet-
would come after its with- views, meant for a small British politicians and of- champion of Trump. ter understanding of how
drawal and “no sort of plan group of ministers and se- ficials are embarrassed at Farage has accused Dar- this position was reached,
for reaching out to partners nior officials in London, cost the leak of Darroch’s frank roch of lacking enthusiasm which may have serious
and allies.” him his job. — though widely shared — for Britain’s departure from consequences for world
The newspaper published Trump responded by call- opinions about Trump. And the EU and said he should peace?”q

British activist readies legal bid

over no-deal Brexit

without a deal. rule out suspending Parlia- EU was postponed twice
Businesswoman Gina Miller ment if lawmakers tried to because Parliament re-
said she instructed her law- block Brexit. fused to back the divorce
yers to serve notice to Con- Miller said “it would be deal the government struck
servative Party lawmaker an abuse of his powers to with the bloc. British law-
Boris Johnson in anticipa- close Parliament ... to limit makers have also ruled out
tion of him becoming the the voice of the represen- leaving without an agree-
In this Wednesday, April 26, 2017 file photo, Entrepreneur next prime minister. tatives that we all elect.” ment.
Gina Miller answers a journalist’s question at the Institute of Johnson is the favorite to In 2017, Miller won a ruling Most economists say leav-
Contemporary Arts in London. succeed Theresa May as in the Supreme Court that ing the EU without an
Associated Press prime minister later this stopped the government agreement on divorce
LONDON (AP) — An anti- Sunday she will go to court month. He says it is impera- from triggering the count- terms would disrupt trade
Brexit activist who won a again if the next prime min- tive Britain leaves the EU on down to Brexit without a between Britain and the
major legal case against ister tries to force the U.K. the rescheduled date of vote in Parliament. bloc and plunge the coun-
the British government said out of the European Union Oct. 31. He has refused to Britain’s departure from the try into recession.q