The attempted Clinton-CIA coup against Donald Trump

[Paul Rigby]

Mission accomplished for MI6 - Mays relations with Trump White House in tatters

Theresa May insists ex-MI6 agent behind claims of Russian 'dirty' dossier on Donald Trump has not worked for government for 'years' amid fears over damage to relations with US

• Row over Christopher Steele's Trump memos shows no sign of dying away
  
• Reports that UK intelligence services knew Steele was talking to the FBI
  
• Former ambassador admits he told John McCain about outlandish allegations
  
• Russia has blamed British government saying no such thing as a former spy
  
• Theresa May attempts to quell row by insisting Steele has not worked for authorities for 'years'
  

By JAMES TAPSFIELD, POLITICAL EDITOR FOR MAILONLINE and MATT DATHAN, POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 12:47, 13 January 2017 | UPDATED: 18:32, 13 January 2017

Theresa May has finally moved to distance the government from the row over an ex-MI6 agent's claims that Russia has a 'dirty' dossier on Trump - insisting he has not worked for the UK authorities for 'years'.

After days of stonewalling by Downing Street, the Prime Minister attempted to quell speculation about official involvement following fresh allegations that the intelligence services knew ex-spy Christopher Steele was talking to the FBI.

Britain's former ambassador in Moscow Sir Andrew Wood has also admitted he told Mr Trump's sworn enemy, Republican senator John McCain, about the outlandish claims in the memos.

Asked about the controversy at a press conference with her New Zealand counterpart today, Mrs May insisted it was a 'longstanding' rule in government not to comment on intelligence matters.

But she added: 'It is absolutely clear that the individual who produced this dossier has not worked for the UK government for years.'

Earlier today, diplomat Sir Andrew, 77, spoke about his role in fueling controversy and said he does not believe Mr Steele would 'make things up' - but also conceded that he might not have 'drawn the correct judgement'.

The President-elect has again lashed out over the affair, calling Steele a 'failed spy' employed by 'sleazebag political operatives' and suggesting he wants to sue the ex-MI6 agent if he ever comes out of hiding.

He tweeted: 'It now turns out that the phony allegations against me were put together by my political opponents and a failed spy afraid of being sued'.

But Russia has ratcheted up the tensions by claiming Steele has never left MI6, and blaming the British government for the memos.

Security sources have indicated that Mr Steele spoke to UK Government officials before handing the dossier to the FBI.

The boss of MI6 is also said to be 'livid' that the ex-spy's actions have put them in an extremely difficult position with the new US administration - just weeks before Mrs May is due to make a crucial visit to Washington where she will try to lay the groundwork for a post-Brexit trade deal.

Tory MPs and former Ukip leader Nigel Farage have urged Mrs May to distance the UK from the memos and make clear to Mr Trump's team that the authorities had nothing to do with it.

But asked this morning if the government had yet been in touch with Team Trump to reassure them there was no government involvement in the Steele memos, a spokesman for the Prime Minister said merely: There is contact between the UK and the President-elect's team about plans for the forthcoming visit.'

Pressed on whether the government had been aware of the FBI's reported request to talk to the ex-agent about his memos, the spokesman said: 'How the FBI conducts an investigation is a matter for the FBI.

'It is not commonplace for us to get into specifics.'

The Foreign Office said it would not be commenting on reports that Steele spoke to government officials before handing his memos to the FBI.

A senior No10 source insisted Team Trump have had 'every opportunity' to raise concerns about British involvement with officials.

'They have raised no concerns with us,' the source added.

In an alarming Twitter post last night, the Russian embassy in London suggested Steele was still working for MI6 and briefing both ways' against Mr Trump and Moscow.

A Russian embassy spokesman said the tweet which said MI6 officers are never ex' reflected the mood in Russia'.

Sir Andrew said today: 'They are speaking in their experience of KGB officers I suspect'.

Following the tweet, Tory MP Crispin Blunt, who is conducting an inquiry into Russia, said it was a sign UK-Russian relations were the 'worst they could get in peace time'.

Mr Blunt, an ex-army officer and foreign affairs select committee chair, said: 'For a peace time political relationship, it is about as bad as it could get.'

Ex-ambassador to Moscow briefed McCain at security conference where Trump was the 'only thing delegates wanted to talk about'

Sir Andrew Wood's briefing for John McCain about the Trump 'dirty dossier' was at an event dominated by discussion about his election as US president

The meeting took place at the Halifax International Security Forum Canada in mid-November, which was dominated by gossip about the billionaire and his policies.

One seminar at the event was even called Make Democracy Great Again - and included one of Trump's famous baseball caps getting its own stool on the stage.

Other events included Russia: Putin' the Block Back Together, and Because Syria: I'm Your Friendly Neighbourhood Terrorist.

Sir Andrew Wood admitted today that because Trump had just won a sensational election victory it increased the importance of the report drawn up by Chris Steele last year.

There, Mr McCain sought the advice of Sir Andrew about the report on Mr Trump and the Moscow connection.

He said its contents appeared to have increased importance because of the way 'by the way Trump talked about the hacking exercise and about the stories of his treatment of women'.

Sir Andrew knew its details but insists he never read it or had a copy and has been forced to admit he spoke to Trump's sworn enemy McCain as the report was leaked to the press and published in full by Buzzfeed.

The Halifax forum was attended by some of the world's most important politicians including UK Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon, French Defence minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and Republican Senator John McCain and Democratic Senator and 2016 vice presidential candidate Tim Kaine.

Sir Andrew Wood was there in his role as Associate Fellow for Russia and Eurasia at The Royal Institute of International Affairs, better known as the Chatham House think tank.

He spoke at an event called Maidan, Crimea and the Obstacles to Democracy in Ukraine - which appears to have been largely behind closed doors.

Ahead of the event, when Trump was elected, experts said that the delegates would speak about little else than the billionaire and his impact on foreign and defence policy.

Janice Stein, the founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs at the University of Toronto said: 'For them, whatever else they're worrying about, top of mind right now, is what will Donald Trump's foreign policy be? What will his security policy be? Will it be disruptive of the existing order? Are we going to see more change than we are going to see continuity?'