Johnson’s meeting with Lebedev may have been ‘serious security breach’ – Labour

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Boris Johnson’s revelation that he met with ex-KGB agent Alexander Lebedev at the height of the Salisbury poisoning scandal suggests a “serious security breach” took place, Labour has said. We actually need to know the facts about what happened and why on earth he was so irresponsible with our national security at that time Yvette Cooper Speaking to Sky’s Sophy Ridge on Sunday, the shadow home secretary said: “We don’t know what happened at this meeting, we don’t know even whether the Prime Minister actually declared the meeting properly or told officials about it afterwards. We actually need to know the facts about what happened and why on earth he was so irresponsible with our national security at that time.” She pointed to the scandal as part of a wider pattern of alleged problematic behaviour from the Prime Minister and said it suggested a “serious security breach” took place. “The point you raised in your introduction, the serious security breach that appears to have happened while he was foreign secretary, meeting with an ex-KGB agent straight after going to a Nato summit to discuss Russia at the height of the Salisbury crisis and going without officials, going without any security, apparently going with a guest who has never been disclosed.” Mr Johnson is set to write to the Liaison Committee about the issue but Labour has said more is needed to establish the facts.