Iran Press/Europe: Boris Johnson has refused to say whether he would keep Kim Darroch as UK ambassador to the US amid attacks by Donald Trump on the British envoy following the leak of diplomatic cables in which he called the Trump administration “inept”.
Johnson, the frontrunner to succeed Theresa May as British prime minister, said he was “not going to be so presumptuous” on what date Sir Kim would leave his job, the Financial Times reported.
On the other side, Jeremy Hunt, the British foreign secretary and leadership rival to Johnson, called on the US President Donald Trump to treat the UK with “respect”. He insisted Sir Kim would remain in post if he becomes Prime Minister later this month.
Hunt, the outside candidate to enter Number 10, lambasted the US president for his “disrespectful and wrong” comments regarding Theresa May and Sir Kim, saying it was the prerogative of the British government to choose its ambassadors.
The leaked memos which were confirmed by a UK government official on July 6, showed that Britain’s ambassador to the US Sir Kim Darroch described Trump as "inept", "insecure" and "incompetent".
Washington-London special relationship has come under strain in recent days following the leak that presented an unflattering picture of US President and his administration. 101/211/214
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