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The United States ordered its diplomats to spy on Foreign Office ministers, asking them to gather gossip on their foibles and the strains in their professional relationships, leaked US cables show.

The disclosure casts a new light on the so-called “special relationship” between Britain and America, which has come under strain amid apparent indifference from the Obama administration towards Britain.

Leaked diplomatic cables show that within weeks of the appointment of Ivan Lewis as a junior foreign minister in 2009, US officials were briefing the office of Hillary Clinton, the US Secretary of State, about rumours that he was depressed and had a reputation as a bully.

They also were desperate for more information on Mr Lewis’s relationship with David Miliband, the then foreign secretary, and other senior Foreign Office staff.
A cable said Mrs Clinton’s office was keen for more information about “how Lewis works with Foreign Secretary Miliband and the FCO staff”. Mr Lewis was appointed as minister of state in the Foreign Office on June 10, 2009.

Just over two months later, the US embassy in London was reporting back with gossip on Mr Lewis, apparently in reply to a request from Washington.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/wikileaks/8304628/WikiLeaks-
cables-how-America-spied-on-the-Foreign-Office.html

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