Behind the WikiLeaks furore, there’s a much bigger issue at stake: America’s slack approach to information security: the UK national interest lies in demanding that the USA act to stop its government computer systems being breached time and again, and in reviewing British data security as well

American elites have fiercely denounced Julian Assange and WikiLeaks for the latest, and largest, release of secret documents, covering over 250,000 diplomatic cables. And with the notable exception of an unfazed Ken Clarke, British elites (both Conservative and Labour) have rushed to follow suit. Yet Jerry Fishenden argues that it is not WikiLeaks that the UK and world publics should be worried about, but instead very poor information security in American government.