Indeed, I don't think the UK government has any problem hacking phones if they believe this is required, but it's likely to involve disclosure to the courts, an

Indeed, I don't think the UK government has any problem hacking phones if they believe this is required, but it's likely to involve disclosure to the courts, and hence in some way be accountable. It's therefore easier to get a friendly government to do the hacking and to pass on the discovered info, which side-steps any legal accountability.