It was reported the news of the hack during Truss’s leadership campaign was suppressed by the previous PM Boris Johnson and cabinet secretary Simon Case. Source: Number 10, Flickr.
The UK government is being urged to investigate claims former prime minister Liz Truss had her phone hacked by Russian spies.
Private exchanges between Truss and foreign officials fell into foreign hands, including messages about the Ukraine war and arms shipments, The Mail on Sunday reported.
The newspaper also claimed the hackers accessed private conversations between Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng criticising Boris Johnson, the prime minister at the time.
The hack was discovered when Truss was foreign secretary during the Tory leadership campaign. The news was suppressed by Johnson and the cabinet secretary, Simon Case, The Mail on Sunday claimed.
The agents responsible for the hack are suspected of working for Russian president Vladimir Putin. The phone is believed to have been locked away at a top secret government location to reduce the chance of more breaches.
It explains the reason for Liz Truss suddenly changing her mobile number before becoming prime minister, which caused anxiety for ministers and advisers who then found themselves unable to contact her.
Opposition parties are demanding an investigation into the alleged hack and how it was handled by Johnson and Case.
“There are immensely important national security issues raised by an attack like this by a hostile state which will have been taken extremely seriously by our intelligence and security agencies,” said shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper.
“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.
“It is essential that all of these security issues are investigated and addressed at the very highest level and we need to know that the government recognises the gravity of this and the importance of fully protecting our national security.”
“We need an urgent independent investigation to uncover the truth,” said Layla Moran, the Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokesperson.
“Was Liz Truss’s phone hacked by Russia, was there a news blackout and if so why?
“If it turns out this information was withheld from the public to protect Liz Truss’s leadership bid, that would be unforgivable.”
A spokesperson for the government “we do not comment on individuals’ security arrangements”.
“The government has robust systems in place to protect against cyber threats. That includes regular security briefings for ministers, and advice on protecting their personal data and mitigating cyber threats.”
