UK raps White House over Trump spy claims

The White House will not repeat claims that British spies snooped on Donald Trump, Britain said yesterday after the UK spy agency dismissed them as "utterly ridiculous" in a rare public denial.

Prime Minister Theresa May's spokesman reiterated the GCHQ agency's denial of a report -- which had been repeated by the US president's spokesman on Thursday -- and said the claims "should be ignored".

"We have made this clear to the administration and have received assurances that these allegations will not be repeated," the PM's spokesman said.

Britain's ambassador to Washington Kim Darroch spoke directly to White House press secretary Sean Spicer, although May's spokesman refused to say whether the US administration had apologised.

"The fact is, within the Five Eyes pact, we cannot use each other's capabilities to circumvent our laws," May's spokesman said.

"It's a situation that simply wouldn't arise."

Britain and the United States -- along with Australia, Canada and New Zealand -- are part of the "Five Eyes" intelligence-sharing alliance forged from the embers of World War II.

"We have a close, special relationship with the White House and that allows us to raise concerns as and when they arise as was true in this case," he added.