British politicians demand investigation into Liz Truss phone hacking claim | WGN 720 Radio

LONDON (AP) — The British government insisted Sunday that it has robust cybersecurity for government officials after a newspaper reported that former Prime Minister Liz Truss’ phone was hacked while she was Britain’s foreign secretary.

The Mail on Sunday reported that the hack was discovered when Truss was running for Conservative Party leader and prime minister in the summer. It says the then prime minister Boris Johnson and the head of the civil service kept the security breach secret.

Citing unnamed sources, the newspaper reported that Russian spies are suspected of hacking. It said the hackers gained access to sensitive information, including discussions of the war in Ukraine with foreign officials, as well as private conversations between Truss and a political ally, former Treasury chief Kwasi Kwarteng.

A UK government spokesman declined to comment on security arrangements, but said it had “robust systems in place to protect against cyber threats”, including regular security briefings for ministers.

Opposition parties demanded an independent investigation into the hacking and leaking of information to the newspaper.

“Was Liz Truss’ phone hacked by Russia, was there a news blackout, and if so, why?” – said the press secretary of the Liberal Democrats for foreign affairs Leila Moran. “If it turns out that this information was withheld from the public to protect Liz Truss’s leadership bid, it would be inexcusable.”

Labour’s policing spokeswoman Yvette Cooper said “this story raises cyber security issues”.

“That’s why cyber security needs to be taken so seriously by everyone in government, the role of hostile states,” she told Sky News. “But also the allegations about whether a cabinet minister used a personal phone for serious government business, and the serious questions about why that information or that story leaked or came out now.”