‘Not clear’ who was behind FCDO hack, says minister, amid reports of China link – UK politics live

The Guardian - World NewsCenter-LeftEN 1 min read 100% complete by Sarah HaqueDecember 19, 2025 at 11:16 AM

AI Summary

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A UK government minister confirmed that the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) experienced a cyber-attack in October. While the responsible party remains unconfirmed by the government, media reports suggest a Chinese hacker group, Storm 1849, may be behind the breach. Separately, a Reform-run Kent council is facing scrutiny for allegedly obstructing transparency. A Labour MP, Polly Billington, claims the council has delayed providing evidence, requested in July via a Freedom of Information request, to support its claim of saving over £40 million by cancelling two non-existent environmental projects. The delay has fueled accusations that the council is attempting to avoid accountability.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Labour Party 40% Polly Billington 50% Kent ×250% FCDO 60% Chris Bryant 60% Storm 1849 70% China 70% UK 80%

Keywords

cyber-attack 90% fcdo hack 80% china link 70% council scrutiny 70% freedom of information 60% hacker group 60% storm 1849 50% uk politics 50% environmental projects 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Negative

Score: -0.30

Source Transparency

Source

The Guardian - World News

Political Lean

Center-Left (-0.40)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

85%

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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cyber-attack fcdo hack china link council scrutiny freedom of information hacker group storm 1849 uk politics environmental projects

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