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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Miliband defends future MI6 chief | Miliband defends future MI6 chief |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| The UK foreign secretary has defended the next head of MI6 after details of his private life were removed from social networking site Facebook. | The UK foreign secretary has defended the next head of MI6 after details of his private life were removed from social networking site Facebook. |
| David Miliband denied security had been compromised after the wife of Sir John Sawers posted family photographs and details of their children and home. | David Miliband denied security had been compromised after the wife of Sir John Sawers posted family photographs and details of their children and home. |
| Mr Miliband told the BBC: "You know he wears a Speedo swimsuit. That's not a state secret." | Mr Miliband told the BBC: "You know he wears a Speedo swimsuit. That's not a state secret." |
| Some Tories said the disclosure was damaging and Lib Dems want an inquiry. | Some Tories said the disclosure was damaging and Lib Dems want an inquiry. |
| However, other senior Conservatives have played down the risks. | However, other senior Conservatives have played down the risks. |
| Sir John is the UK's ambassador to the United Nations and is due to take up his new post in November. | Sir John is the UK's ambassador to the United Nations and is due to take up his new post in November. |
| The Mail on Sunday said information published on Facebook included the couple's friendships with senior diplomats and actors, including Moir Leslie from BBC Radio 4's The Archers. | The Mail on Sunday said information published on Facebook included the couple's friendships with senior diplomats and actors, including Moir Leslie from BBC Radio 4's The Archers. |
| David Miliband: "For goodness sake, let's grow up" | David Miliband: "For goodness sake, let's grow up" |
| Lady Sawers revealed the location of the London flat used by the couple and the whereabouts of their three grown-up children and of Sir John's parents, the paper said. | Lady Sawers revealed the location of the London flat used by the couple and the whereabouts of their three grown-up children and of Sir John's parents, the paper said. |
| She had not imposed privacy protection on her account, allowing any of Facebook's 200 million users in the open-access "London" network to see the entries, it added. | She had not imposed privacy protection on her account, allowing any of Facebook's 200 million users in the open-access "London" network to see the entries, it added. |
| The coverage also featured several family photographs, including some of Sir John wearing swimming shorts on holiday. | The coverage also featured several family photographs, including some of Sir John wearing swimming shorts on holiday. |
| But Mr Miliband told the BBC's Andrew Marr programme: "Are you leading the news with that? | But Mr Miliband told the BBC's Andrew Marr programme: "Are you leading the news with that? |
| "The fact that there's a picture that the head of the MI6 goes swimming - wow, that really is exciting. | "The fact that there's a picture that the head of the MI6 goes swimming - wow, that really is exciting. |
| 'No state secret' | 'No state secret' |
| "It is not a state secret that he wears Speedo swimming trunks, for goodness sake let's grow up. | "It is not a state secret that he wears Speedo swimming trunks, for goodness sake let's grow up. |
| "He is an outstanding professional who will do a really good job in an outstanding organisation." | "He is an outstanding professional who will do a really good job in an outstanding organisation." |
| Shadow business secretary Ken Clarke also dismissed the potential security implications of the information, saying he "very much doubted" national security was jeopardised. | Shadow business secretary Ken Clarke also dismissed the potential security implications of the information, saying he "very much doubted" national security was jeopardised. |
| "In the old days we used to keep the name secret, all photographs were banned ad I never really believed that the Russians didn't know who the head of MI6 and MI5 was," he told Sky News. | "In the old days we used to keep the name secret, all photographs were banned ad I never really believed that the Russians didn't know who the head of MI6 and MI5 was," he told Sky News. |
| We would be negligent if there wasn't an internal inquiry into the security implications Edward Davey, Liberal Democrats Profile of new MI6 boss | We would be negligent if there wasn't an internal inquiry into the security implications Edward Davey, Liberal Democrats Profile of new MI6 boss |
| "I suspect that the enemies of this country do not wholly rely on the Mail on Sunday and Facebook for their information so I personally would get a little more calm," he added. | "I suspect that the enemies of this country do not wholly rely on the Mail on Sunday and Facebook for their information so I personally would get a little more calm," he added. |
| Former Prime Minister Sir John Major said the issue had been "overblown". | Former Prime Minister Sir John Major said the issue had been "overblown". |
| He said: "I know John Sawers. He's a very able man, he's a very able appointment. It's pretty unfortunate that this has happened, I think that is true. | He said: "I know John Sawers. He's a very able man, he's a very able appointment. It's pretty unfortunate that this has happened, I think that is true. |
| "But I think when you're faced with leaving Iraq possibly too early, huge problems in Afghanistan, the mess in Pakistan, the depth of the recession, I think this falls a long way below those." | "But I think when you're faced with leaving Iraq possibly too early, huge problems in Afghanistan, the mess in Pakistan, the depth of the recession, I think this falls a long way below those." |
| They spoke out after Conservative MP Patrick Mercer, chairman of the counter-terrorism sub-committee, told the BBC it raised worrying issues. | They spoke out after Conservative MP Patrick Mercer, chairman of the counter-terrorism sub-committee, told the BBC it raised worrying issues. |
| He was concerned about the revelation of "the location of flats, transport details, movement details, of an individual who is our most senior counter-terrorism officer abroad". | He was concerned about the revelation of "the location of flats, transport details, movement details, of an individual who is our most senior counter-terrorism officer abroad". |
| 'Negligent' | 'Negligent' |
| He added: "A great deal of taxpayers' money has been spent over the past several decades making sure he and his family are protected from security compromises. | He added: "A great deal of taxpayers' money has been spent over the past several decades making sure he and his family are protected from security compromises. |
| "Well, it doesn't seem to be very relevant any more, does it?" | |
| Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokesman Edward Davey also claimed the disclosure had the potential to damage the security of Sir John's family. | Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokesman Edward Davey also claimed the disclosure had the potential to damage the security of Sir John's family. |
| "We would be negligent if there wasn't an internal inquiry into the security implications, not just in relation to MI6 but to Sir John and his family," he said. | "We would be negligent if there wasn't an internal inquiry into the security implications, not just in relation to MI6 but to Sir John and his family," he said. |
| Lady Sawers had no Facebook privacy protection, the Mail on Sunday says | Lady Sawers had no Facebook privacy protection, the Mail on Sunday says |
| "We need to be reassured that this has been considered properly and there is nothing we need to worry about as a result of this." | "We need to be reassured that this has been considered properly and there is nothing we need to worry about as a result of this." |
| Sir John is due to replace Sir John Scarlett as head of the overseas Secret Intelligence Service (MI6). | Sir John is due to replace Sir John Scarlett as head of the overseas Secret Intelligence Service (MI6). |
| He has been the UK's Permanent Representative to the UN since 2007. | He has been the UK's Permanent Representative to the UN since 2007. |
| Before that he was political director at the Foreign Office, an envoy in Baghdad and a foreign affairs adviser to former Prime Minister Tony Blair. | Before that he was political director at the Foreign Office, an envoy in Baghdad and a foreign affairs adviser to former Prime Minister Tony Blair. |
| He was in that post from 1999 to 2001 and was involved in the Kosovo conflict and Northern Ireland peace process. | He was in that post from 1999 to 2001 and was involved in the Kosovo conflict and Northern Ireland peace process. |
| Elsewhere overseas he worked in the British embassy in Washington, as an ambassador in Cairo and to South Africa from 1988 and 1991 when apartheid was ending. | Elsewhere overseas he worked in the British embassy in Washington, as an ambassador in Cairo and to South Africa from 1988 and 1991 when apartheid was ending. |