CIA looking into UK’s reported backdoor request to Apple encryption

Published

1 day ago

February 27, 2025

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The CIA, NSA and multiple other US intelligence agencies have been asked to examine a reported request from the UK government for Apple to implement a backdoor in their encryption.

Tulsi Gabbard, the US director of national intelligence (DNI), announced the measures in a letter to two US politicians who had raised concerns about the move.

Apple last week withdrew some of its secure storage features from the UK. It was reported previously that the UK government had asked the US tech giant to give it access to users’ protected data worldwide.

Both the current Labour government, the previous Tory administrations and campaigners say they want less rigorous encryption to protect children and prevent crime.

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The latest step in the row comes as Sir Keir Starmer heads to Washington DC to meet with President Donald Trump.

Sir Keir has made technological development – especially AI – central to his plans to grow the UK economy and will be hoping to build ties with Silicon Valley leaders among others.

It is not clear if the reported attempts to impose UK law on a US-based company will impact any talks with the president.

The UK government is said to have made the demand to Apple under the Investigatory Powers Act 2016, which is also known as the “Snooper’s Charter”.

The government does not disclose whether it has made orders under the act, and has not commented on the specifics with Apple.

Apple is also prevented from commenting on whether an order was made.

In her letter, Ms Gabbard said she had “grave concern” about the UK or any other country “requiring Apple or any company to create a ‘backdoor’ that would allow access to Americans’ personal encrypted data”.

She added: “This would be a clear and egregious violation of Americans’ privacy and civil liberties, and open up a serious vulnerability for cyber exploitation by adversarial actors.”

Ms Gabbard – who is close to Mr Trump – said she was not made aware of the order by the UK.

She said she has requested the CIA (Central Intelligence Agency), DIA (Defense Intelligence Agency), DHS (Department of Homeland Security), FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) and NSA (National Security Agency) all to provide her with “insights” about what is in the public domain.

US government lawyers have also been asked to give a legal opinion on the implications of the reported order on the bilateral Cloud Act agreement.

The DNI highlighted that the agreement prevents either state from issuing demands for the data of citizens or nationals of the other.

Ms Gabbard’s letter was in response to a letter from Democrat senator Ron Wyden and Republican representative Andy Biggs, sent almost two weeks ago.

This is before Apple pulled its Advanced Data Protection from the UK, but after reports of the request to the iPhone and Mac makers.

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The two politicians said: “These reported actions seriously threaten the privacy and security of both the American people and the US government.”

They urged Ms Gabbard to “reevaluate US-UK cybersecurity arrangements and programmes as well as US intelligence sharing with the UK” if the UK did not change tack.

The Home Office did not comment.

Politics

Minister resigns over cut to international aid budget

Published

3 hours ago

February 28, 2025

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Minister resigns over cut to international aid budget

Anneliese Dodds has quit as international development minister over Sir Keir Starmer’s decision to slash the overseas aid budget to pay for an increase in defence spending.

Ms Dodds, who is also women and equalities minister and attends cabinet, said she was resigning from both posts “with great sadness” but would continue to support the government from the backbenches.

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In her resignation letter to the prime minister, she acknowledged there was “no easy path” to fund the boost to defence but claimed there had been a “tactical decision” for the Overseas Development Aid (ODA) budget to “absorb the entire burden”.

She said: “You have maintained that you want to continue support for Gaza, Sudan and Ukraine; for vaccination; for climate; and for rules-based systems.

“Yet it will be impossible to maintain these priorities given the depth of the cut; the effect will be far greater than presented, even if assumptions made about reducing asylum costs hold true.”

Ms Dodds said the cut will likely lead the UK to pull-out from numerous African, Caribbean and Western Balkan nations, as well as a withdrawal of commitments to international banks and a reduced voice in the G7 and G20.

“Ultimately, these cuts will remove food and healthcare from desperate people – deeply harming the UK’s reputation,” she added.

“I know you have been clear that you are not ideologically opposed to international development. But the reality is that this decision is already being portrayed as following in President Trump’s slipstream of cuts to USAID.”

Around £6bn per year will be taken out of the aid budget and transferred over to pay for defence.

That amounts to a reduction in aid spending from 0.5% of GDP to 0.3%.

In a letter responding to Ms Dodd’s resignation, Sir Keir said the decision to cut foreign aid “was a difficult and painful decision and not one I take lightly”.

“However, protecting our national security must always be the first duty of any government and I will always act in the best interests of the British people,” he said.

The resignation comes after a key meeting between Sir Keir and Mr Trump on Thursday, during which the US leader praised the defence sending decision and also touted the prospect of a tariff-free trade deal.

Ms Dodds marks the loss of a fourth minister from the new Labour government, after Louise Haigh and Tulip Siddiq resigned and Andrew Gwynne was sacked.

Conservative MP Andrew Mitchell, who was the international development minister under Rishi Sunak, said Ms Dodds had “done the right thing”.

He posted on X: “Labour’s disgraceful and cynical actions demean the Labour Party’s reputation as they balance the books on the backs of the poorest people in the world. Shame on them and kudos to a politician of decency and principle.”

Resignation of Dodds shows Starmer’s ruthless side

Liz Bates

Political correspondent

@wizbates

She was one of his closest allies, but today Anneliese Dodds has quit Keir Starmer’s government with a stark warning about the direction of travel.

It’s been quite a journey since she got the top job in his opposition cabinet.

When he took over as Labour leader, she was appointed shadow chancellor and seen as a key player in his team.

Since that time, Starmer has shown himself to be a pragmatic, sometimes ruthless, operator when it comes to both policy and political friendships.

This resignation once again shows that side.

Not only is he pushing through deep cuts to foreign aid – a move he previously condemned – but in doing so, he has also cast aside one of his most loyal and long-standing colleagues.

Former Tory defence minister Tobias Ellwood also praised the decision as “courageous and principled”, saying that national security is “not just about hard power” but tackling threats like disease and extremism.

However, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch backed Sir Keir’s decision.

She said: “I disagree with the PM on many things BUT on reducing the foreign aid budget to fund UK defence? He’s absolutely right.

“He may not be able to convince the ministers in his own cabinet, but on this subject, I will back him.

“National interest always comes first.”

Sir Keir announced the decision to cut the aid budget on Tuesday, saying it would fund and increase defence spending from 2.3% of GDP to 2.5% in 2027. Labour’s manifesto had pledged to reach this target but it was not clear when that would be achieved or how it would be funded.

The prime minister admitted the inauguration of Mr Trump – who has made clear he no longer wants to bankroll NATO’s defence- “accelerated” his decision but said it had been three years in the making, after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

He said the reduction in foreign aid is “not a renouncement I’m happy to make”.

Asked about it during the Convention of the North conference, deputy prime minister Angela Rayner said: “I’m sorry to hear she’s resigned, it was a really difficult decision that was made.”

However, she said it was “absolutely right” that the cabinet endorse the prime minister’s actions to spend more money on defence.