UK Deputy Ambassador to Washington James Roscoe Leaves Post Amid Leak Investigation
Auf einen Blick
- UK Deputy Ambassador to Washington James Roscoe has abruptly left his post amid an investigation into a leak from a National Security Council meeting concerning strikes against Iran.
- Embassy staff were informed of his departure without explanation, and sources indicate Roscoe faced questions as part of the inquiry.
KI-generierte Zusammenfassung
LONDON — The U.K. deputy ambassador to Washington, James Roscoe, has left his post abruptly amid an investigation into a leak from the National Security Council.
Roscoe is one of Britain’s most senior diplomats, and supervised King Charles’s recent visit to the U.S. as well as acting as interim ambassador following the sacking of Peter Mandelson.
Embassy staff were informed on Tuesday that he would be leaving, with no explanation given.
A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office spokesperson confirmed that Roscoe has left his post but did not immediately respond to further questions.
Two people briefed on the matter told POLITICO that Roscoe had faced questions as part of an inquiry into leaked details from an NSC meeting about the war in Iran.
A third person, a U.K. official, described the matter as “extremely serious.”
His involvement in the inquiry was first reported by The Times.
The Spectator reported in March on splits in Keir Starmer’s Cabinet at the top secret meeting over allowing the U.S. to use British bases for the strikes against Iran — a confidence breach described by Deputy PM David Lammy as an “absolute travesty.”
Roscoe’s departure comes shortly before another potentially embarrassing release of files relating to Mandelson’s time as top envoy to the U.S., and deals yet another blow to Britain’s damaged diplomatic service.
