[papa smurf]

Originally Posted by Damien

Not a surprise. It did make it impossible for him to do his job and the main purpose of keeping him on would be to send a message to other countries that they don't have a veto on our ambassadors and not to reward the leaker with exactly what they wanted.

In reality, though the leak did do its job and whilst countries can't dictate who we send we're obviously not looking to antagonise them. Also although Boris Johnson was unwilling to back the ambassador I don't see how this set of circumstances helps him. Darroch may have even intentionally decided to go in a way that maximises the damage to him rather than let himself be quietly sidelined. It will sour the Foreign Office and our ambassadors against him and maybe even impact the advice he gets.

We've sent a message that if ambassadors do their job and give their honest impression of the leaders and countries they're sent to liaise with we will not have their back should those impressions be leaked.

---------- Post added at 13:12 ---------- Previous post was at 13:10 ----------

As for Oakeshott, she did her job. Someone leaked a newsworthy story to her. They may have had ulterior motives and she may have a bias and angle to pursue but it isn't her job to protect the internal communications of the civil service.

---------- Post added at 13:31 ---------- Previous post was at 13:12 ----------

And the police are now involved: https://twitter.com/SebastianEPayne/...32074683940864

Whoever is running the foreign office these days has to shoulder the blame for leaked emails etc it all happened on their watch.