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MI6 chief's Facebook details cut MI6 boss in Facebook entry row
(10 minutes later)
Details about the personal life of the next head of MI6, Sir John Sawers, have been removed from Facebook. Personal details about the life of the next head of MI6, Sir John Sawers, have been removed from social networking site Facebook amid security concerns.
The Mail on Sunday said his wife, Lady Shelley Sawers, put details about their children and the location of their flat on the social networking site. The Mail on Sunday said his wife put details about their children and the location of their flat on the site.
The details were removed after the paper contacted the Foreign Office.The details were removed after the paper contacted the Foreign Office.
Foreign Secretary David Miliband denied security had been compromised, saying: "You know that he wears a Speedo swimsuit. That's not a state secret". Foreign Secretary David Miliband denied claims security had been compromised, saying: "You know he wears a Speedo swimsuit. That's not a state secret".
Sir John Sawer is currently the UK's ambassador to the United Nations and is due to take up his new post in November.Sir John Sawer is currently the UK's ambassador to the United Nations and is due to take up his new post in November.
But Conservative MP Patrick Mercer, chairman of the counter-terrorism sub-committee, expressed concerns about the possible security risk.But Conservative MP Patrick Mercer, chairman of the counter-terrorism sub-committee, expressed concerns about the possible security risk.
He told the BBC: "It raises all sorts of worrying issues about the... personal life, in particular the location of flats, transport details, movement details, of an individual who is our most senior counter-terrorism officer abroad."He told the BBC: "It raises all sorts of worrying issues about the... personal life, in particular the location of flats, transport details, movement details, of an individual who is our most senior counter-terrorism officer abroad."
"A great deal of taxpayers' money has been spent over the past several decades making sure he and his family are protected from security compromises. Well, it doesn't seem to be very relevant anymore, does it?""A great deal of taxpayers' money has been spent over the past several decades making sure he and his family are protected from security compromises. Well, it doesn't seem to be very relevant anymore, does it?"
He added: "It's distressing and worrying therefore that these sorts of details should be appearing in the public domain. I would have hoped these sort of mistakes would not have been made by people like that."He added: "It's distressing and worrying therefore that these sorts of details should be appearing in the public domain. I would have hoped these sort of mistakes would not have been made by people like that."
Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs spokesman, Edward Davey, told the Mail on Sunday he wanted Gordon Brown to launch an inquiry into whether the disclosures have compromised Sir John's ability to take up his MI6 post appointment.Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs spokesman, Edward Davey, told the Mail on Sunday he wanted Gordon Brown to launch an inquiry into whether the disclosures have compromised Sir John's ability to take up his MI6 post appointment.
'Grow up''Grow up'
But Foreign Secretary David Miliband told the BBC's Andrew Marr programme: "Are you leading the news with that? The fact that there's a picture that the head of the MI6 goes swimming - wow, that really is exciting.But Foreign Secretary David Miliband told the BBC's Andrew Marr programme: "Are you leading the news with that? The fact that there's a picture that the head of the MI6 goes swimming - wow, that really is exciting.
"It is not a state secret that he wears Speedo swimming trunks, for goodness sake let's grow up."It is not a state secret that he wears Speedo swimming trunks, for goodness sake let's grow up.
"He is an outstanding professional who will do a really good job in an outstanding organisation.""He is an outstanding professional who will do a really good job in an outstanding organisation."
Lady Sawers had no Facebook privacy protection, the Mail on Sunday saysLady Sawers had no Facebook privacy protection, the Mail on Sunday says
Former Prime Minister Sir John Major said the issue had been "overblown".Former Prime Minister Sir John Major said the issue had been "overblown".
He said: "I know John Sawers. He's a very able man, he's a very able appointment. It's pretty unfortunate that this has happened, I think that is true.He said: "I know John Sawers. He's a very able man, he's a very able appointment. It's pretty unfortunate that this has happened, I think that is true.
"But I think when you're faced with leaving Iraq possibly too early, huge problems in Afghanistan, the mess in Pakistan, the depth of the recession, I think this falls a long way below those.""But I think when you're faced with leaving Iraq possibly too early, huge problems in Afghanistan, the mess in Pakistan, the depth of the recession, I think this falls a long way below those."
Privacy settingsPrivacy settings
The Mail on Sunday said the published information included the couple's friendships with senior diplomats and actors, including Moir Leslie from BBC Radio 4's The Archers.The Mail on Sunday said the published information included the couple's friendships with senior diplomats and actors, including Moir Leslie from BBC Radio 4's The Archers.
Lady Sawers revealed the location of the London flat used by the couple and the whereabouts of their three grown-up children and of Sir John's parents, the paper added.Lady Sawers revealed the location of the London flat used by the couple and the whereabouts of their three grown-up children and of Sir John's parents, the paper added.
She had not imposed privacy protection on her account, allowing any of Facebook's 200 million users in the open-access "London" network to see the entries, the paper said.She had not imposed privacy protection on her account, allowing any of Facebook's 200 million users in the open-access "London" network to see the entries, the paper said.
Sir John is due to replace Sir John Scarlett as head of the overseas Secret Intelligence Service (MI6).Sir John is due to replace Sir John Scarlett as head of the overseas Secret Intelligence Service (MI6).
He has been the UK's Permanent Representative to the UN since 2007.He has been the UK's Permanent Representative to the UN since 2007.
Before that he was political director at the Foreign Office, an envoy in Baghdad and a foreign affairs adviser to former Prime Minister Tony Blair.Before that he was political director at the Foreign Office, an envoy in Baghdad and a foreign affairs adviser to former Prime Minister Tony Blair.
He was in that post from 1999 to 2001 and was involved in the Kosovo conflict and Northern Ireland peace process.He was in that post from 1999 to 2001 and was involved in the Kosovo conflict and Northern Ireland peace process.
Elsewhere overseas he worked in the British embassy in Washington, as an ambassador in Cairo and to South Africa from 1988 and 1991 when apartheid was ending.Elsewhere overseas he worked in the British embassy in Washington, as an ambassador in Cairo and to South Africa from 1988 and 1991 when apartheid was ending.