London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Tuesday, Jul 29, 2025

Suella Braverman failed to prove source of MI5 spy story leak - judge

Suella Braverman failed to prove source of MI5 spy story leak - judge

Suella Braverman failed to show a government source had not leaked confidential details of a court case involving MI5 to a newspaper, a judge has said.
Mr Justice Chamberlain made the comments as he ruled against the government's attempt to have its legal costs paid by the BBC.

This followed a High Court battle over identifying an abusive MI5 agent.

The government got an injunction preventing the man being identified.

The BBC had wanted to name the man, known as X in legal proceedings, saying he abused his status as an MI5 informant to coerce a former partner.

The judge said the BBC was "entirely successful" on one issue, partly because Ms Braverman had been unable to show a leak did not come from within government.

In January, Ms Braverman - who was then the attorney general and is now home secretary - had applied for an injunction preventing X from being identified by the planned story.

Ms Braverman had initially wanted the entire case heard in private, but lost this application.

Before a hearing had taken place, the Daily Telegraph reported Ms Braverman was seeking an injunction to block a BBC story about a spy working for British intelligence.

The briefing received by the newspaper damaged the government's argument that publishing details of the case could harm national security.

Mr Justice Chamberlain today said the issue of open justice had a "special importance" in the proceedings.

He said that the BBC "was entirely successful on this issue, in part because the attorney general had been unable to negative the inference that a government source had briefed the Daily Telegraph about the case, while at the same time inviting the court to order an entirely private hearing".

A government leak inquiry was ordered into who briefed confidential details to the newspaper.

Ms Braverman was one of those investigated by the leak inquiry, the BBC understands.

The government has not responded to the BBC's questions about the inquiry, including as to whether Ms Braverman was questioned.

Last month, No 10 defended her after questions about her relationship with MI5 because of the leak.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak reappointed Ms Braverman as home secretary days after she quit for breaching the ministerial code by sending confidential material via a private email account.

Because an injunction was granted, after the judge said identifying X would create a risk to him, the government argued its legal costs should be paid by the BBC.

The judge dismissed that claim on Friday, saying the BBC had been able to publish a detailed story "far beyond" the initial broad restrictions sought by the government.

"Applying common sense", he ruled, "the outcome was mid-way between what the attorney general had initially said she would accept and what the BBC wanted to publish."

Both sides will pay their own costs, which is what the BBC had argued for.

The BBC investigation included interviews with two former partners of X, one of whom had filmed the MI5 agent attacking her with a machete.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
The British propaganda channel BBC News lies again.
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
Microsoft, US Lab to Use AI for Faster Nuclear Plant Licensing
Trump Walks Back Talk of Firing Fed Chair Jerome Powell
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Irish Tech Worker Detained 100 days by US Authorities for Overstaying Visa
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
×