Claims that former U.K. Prime Minister Liz Truss’ mobile phone was hacked by foreign agents while she was serving as foreign secretary must be “urgently investigated,” the opposition Labour Party said.
Private messages exchanged between Truss’ personal phone and foreign officials — including detailed discussions about arms shipments to Ukraine — are thought to have been intercepted by foreign agents, the Mail on Sunday reported, citing security sources.
The newspaper claimed that the hack was uncovered during this summer’s Conservative leadership campaign, but that details were suppressed by then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Cabinet Secretary Simon Case, the U.K.’s most senior civil servant. Russia was suspected to be behind the hack, the report said.
Labour’s shadow home secretary, Yvette Cooper, said the allegations were “extremely serious.”
“There are immensely important national security issues raised by an attack like this by a hostile state,” Cooper said in a statement.
“There are also serious security questions around why and how this information has been leaked or released right now which must also be urgently investigated,” she said. “It is essential that all of these security issues are investigated and addressed at the very highest level.”
Speaking to Sky News’ Sophy Ridge on Sunday program, U.K. Housing Secretary Michael Gove did not deny the hack took place but insisted “very robust protocols” were in place to ensure the security of governmental communications.
“I don’t know the full details of what security breach, if any, took place,” Gove said. “I’m sure that the right protocols were followed. I’m sure that more information, as appropriate, will be released.”
Citing allies of Truss, the Mail on Sunday reported that the former foreign secretary had been worried that revelations about the hack would compromise her bid to become prime minister, with one claiming she “had trouble sleeping” until it was confirmed that news of the alleged security breach would not be disclosed by the government.
