Diplomat who left top secret MoD files at bus stop set to join key UK defence review

2 September 2024, 12:37

Diplomat who left top secret MoD files at bus stop set to join key UK defence review
Diplomat who left top secret MoD files at bus stop set to join key UK defence review. Picture: alamy

By Danielle de Wolfe

A former diplomat who left top secret government papers at a bus stop is set to join a review of UK defence plans.

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

The classified Ministry of Defence papers detailing the locations of British special forces in Kabul were discovered at a Kent bus stop in June 2015.

Now, the diplomat is set to join the government’s review of defence plans, alongside a former Trump advisor.

Angus Lapsley, 54, will join the panel as it undertakes a “root and branch review” of UK defence.

Alongside Kabul details, the files left at the bus stop were also thought to include potential Russian reaction to HMS Defender’s travel through Ukrainian waters, as well as wider UK military plans for Afghanistan.

RIGA, LATVIA. 26th April 2023. Angus Lapsley, Assistant NATO Secretary General for Defence Policy and Planning , during NATO RESILIENCE SYMPOSIUM 2023.
RIGA, LATVIA. 26th April 2023. Angus Lapsley, Assistant NATO Secretary General for Defence Policy and Planning , during NATO RESILIENCE SYMPOSIUM 2023. Picture: Alamy

Following his departure from the British government role, Lapsley became the assistant secretary-general for defence policy and planning at Nato.

The pile of around 50 papers was said to have fallen from the diplomat's bag, with the breach feared to have endanger the lives of US servicemen and women - many of whom shared the location of their British counterparts.

Now, the panel will be led by Lord Robertson of Port Ellen, Fiona Hill, and General Sir Richard Barrons.

Hill served as national security adviser to Trump for two years until 2019, after previously working as an intelligence analyst under the Bush and Obama administrations.

Read more: Former Met officer charged with repeated rape and sexual assault of 'vulnerable' woman he met while on duty

Read more: Mother of missing law student Jack O'Sullivan, 23, reveals family have been 'sent ransom demands'

Other advisors are thought to include Christophe Gray, a former private secretary to Prince William and current Downing Street director general for delivery.

An MoD Spokesperson said: “Angus Lapsley brings a huge amount of experience from his time at the [Foreign Office] and as the Nato assistant secretary general for defence policy and planning.”

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

People in Spain and Portugal have been stocking up on supplies

Panic-buying sets in as supermarket shelves across Spain and Portugal emptied following nationwide power outages

Broadcaster Jeremy Vine has said he will stop posting cycling videos after receiving a number of death threats and online abuse.

Jeremy Vine stops sharing cycling videos after death threats and trolling ‘got too bad’

Kneecap are due to support Fontaines D.C at their Boucher Road Playing Fields show in August, but Mr Robinson called for their removal from the bill

Kneecap have become 'a hatefest' that 'promotes division', DUP leader Gavin Robinson says

One-year-old girl dies following crash at campsite in North Wales

One-year-old toddler dies following crash at campsite in North Wales

Exclusive
Lawyer Spencer Kuvin represented nine Epstein victims

'I question everything': Epstein victims' lawyer says 'often initial story is not the truth' after Virginia Giuffre's suicide

Liverpool's Mo Salah celebrates Liverpool's triumph (l) while relegated Ipswich applaud their fans (r)

Liverpool crowned champions and the promoted teams relegated: How the Premier League campaign played out

Constance Marten and Mark Gordon

Runaway aristocrat Constance Marten denies carrying baby in 'supermarket bag' while on the run as trial continues

Spain has been hit with a huge power outage

‘Extremely rare weather phenomenon’ behind Europe power cuts - as Portugal blames 'fault' in Spanish network

Samuel Gould, 33, of Hornchurch, Essex, was seen by the 13-year-old girl masturbating in his car

Wes Streeting's former aide dodges jail after indecently exposing himself in front of girl, 13

Police and Forensic investigators at Amman Valley school, in Ammanford, Carmarthenshire, after three people were injured in a stabbing.

Girl, 14, who stabbed two teachers and pupil handed 15-year sentence for attempted murder

The French grid operator RTE said parts of the country briefly lost power after outages hit Spain and Portugal on Monday afternoon

Spain-Portugal power outage: France also hit by blackouts as Europe is plunged into travel chaos

US tennis star Coco Gauff's interview was cut short due to a power cut in Spain.

Exact moment Spain is plunged into power cut chaos captured in Coco Gauff’s post-match interview

Harry Purcell, 17, Matilda 'Tilly' Seccombe, 16, and Frank Wormald, 16 died in the crash

Newly-qualified teen driver who killed three fellow pupils in crash given two years' detention

A Liverpool fan celebrates victory in the Premier League on a rooftop near Anfield, Liverpool.

Pictured: Liverpool celebrates as club wins historic 20th league title to equal Manchester United's total

Live
Traffic chaos in Madrid as signals fail due to the power outage

Europe power cuts LIVE: Entire grid of Spain and Portugal goes offline as other countries report outages

Putin has announced a temporary ceasefire in Ukraine

Putin announces three-day ceasefire in Ukraine to mark 80th anniversary of end of World War 2