Lawmakers Blasted The Uk Government For Sharing 'confidential' Information In Private Messages To Tiktok Execs

Boris Johnson's (left) senior aide Sir Edward Lister (right) was among those receiving the messages with TikTok Stefan Rousseau/PA Images via Getty Images British politicians reacted to Insider revealing the UK government told TikTok the 'confidential' identity of its next China ambassador. One says Downing Street faces 'serious questions' on the tranche of messages, obtained under Freedom of Information laws. They also showed the government trying to reassure TikTok over new national security powers. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. The UK government has "serious questions" to answer, lawmakers have said after Insider revealed it told TikTok the confidential identity of its next China ambassador before the appointment was confirmed.Insider published internal conversations between TikTok and senior government officials from January to June 2020, when the video app was reportedly negotiating to base its global headquarters in London.The conversations took place even as TikTok was the subject of national security concerns in the US due to its ties to China.Officials from the government's trade department tried to reassure TikTok over wider plans to boost government powers to police foreign investments into the UK, the messages show.The Department for International Trade (DfiT) also revealed, then asked TikTok to be "discreet" about, the news Caroline Wilson was likely the UK's next ambassador to China, before the appointment was confirmed and four months before it was announced.