A Tory MP has written to the Metropolitan Police urging it to investigate The Guardian for breaching the Terrorism Act 2000.

Julian Smith, MP for Skipton and Ripon, said: “The Guardian newspaper and its editors have admitted that they did more than receive detailed information on UK and US intelligence services and report upon it.

“In online discussions they have revealed that they copied and distributed files to individuals and organisations abroad. If that is the case it goes beyond journalism to a breach of the Official Secrets Act. Furthermore it seems highly likely that they have communicated details of intelligence personnel internationally. If true, this puts our dedicated agents, and their families, at risk.”