Theresa May, Jeremy Hunt defend UK ambassador over leaked cable controversy

London CNN — Senior British politicians have defended the country’s ambassador to the US in an escalating scandal over leaked diplomatic cables that described President Donald Trump as “inept,” “insecure” and “incompetent.” The UK Prime Minister’s spokesman said Monday that Theresa May has “full faith” in Kim Darroch and that providing an “unvarnished assessment” is an ambassador’s job. He added, however, that May does not agree with Darroch and that London had contacted Washington to say the leaks were “unacceptable and a matter of regret.” In the cables leaked to the Daily Mail newspaper, Darroch warned the UK government that Trump’s “career could end in disgrace,” and described conflicts within the White House as “knife fights.” According to the Mail, the memos span the period between 2017 to present day, covering everything from Trump’s foreign policy to his 2020 reelection plans Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt – who is also a candidate to be Britain’s next Prime Minister – said on Monday that while he did not share Darroch’s views, it was still “very important” that UK diplomats across the world can “continue to give us their frank assessments.” “We need to be able to have a debate inside these buildings, we need to be able to disagree,” Hunt told reporters during a press conference in London on Monday. In response to this episode, Trump told reporters Sunday “we’re not big fans” of Darroch and the ambassador “has not served the UK well.” Foreign Secretary Hunt was at pains to emphasize that the UK would not allow “any interruption” in the “superb relationship” it has with its “closest ally around the world.” But the leak still undermines months of efforts by Darroch and his diplomats to build ties and trust with Trump and his political acolytes. High-profile Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage, who has also been praised by Trump as a “terrific person,” said in a tweet that Darroch was “totally unsuitable for the job” of ambassador.