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Johnson accused of withholding key report on Russia from voters Johnson accused of withholding key report on Russia from voters
(about 5 hours later)
Boris Johnson has been accused of preventing the publication of a report assessing the security threat posed by Russia to the UK and whether a future general election could be affected by Kremlin-sponsored disinformation. Downing Street has been accused of sitting on an explosive parliamentary report on the security threat posed by Russia to the UK, which examined allegations that Kremlin-sponsored activity distorted the result 2016 EU referendum.
Dominic Grieve told MPs the Russian dossier prepared by parliament’s intelligence and security committee had been held up, awaiting final security clearance from Downing Street, since 17 October. The cross-party intelligence and security committee said it had expected Boris Johnson to approve publication of the 50-page dossier by Thursday – and there was now a risk its publication would be prevented ahead of the general election.
The MP, who chairs the committee, said it was unacceptable for the prime minister to “sit on it” – and warned there was a risk the report may not be published at all before the election on 12 December. Dominic Grieve, who chairs the committee, complained in the Commons that no explanation for the “apparent delay” had been given by Downing Street, which had been sent a final draft of the report on 17 October.
Raising a point of order in the House of Commons, Grieve said the committee should have been given clearance to publish by Thursday so the report could be released on Monday, before parliament dissolves on Tuesday.
Will fake news wreck the coming general election?Will fake news wreck the coming general election?
If clearance is not given by No 10 before the dissolution, it will not be possible to publish the report until after the election. No explanation for the “apparent delay” had been offered, Grieve added. If Downing Street fails to approve the report before parliament is dissolved on Tuesday, it will not be possible to publish it before the election on 12 December, even though Grieve told MPs it “comments directly on what has been seen as a perceived threat to our democratic processes”.
The MP, a former Conservative who now sits as an independent, said: “The committee has been investigating the threat posed to this country by Russia. It is understood that the dossier examines allegations that Russian money has flowed into British politics in general and the Conservative party in particular. It also features claims that Russia launched a major influence operation in 2016 in support of Brexit.
“We’ve produced a report which, in accordance with the Justice and Security Act, we sent to the prime minister on 17 October for him to confirm that there were no classified matters remaining – and there ought not to be because it’s already been carefully looked at by the Cabinet Office. One of those targeted by the Russians at the time was Arron Banks, Nigel Farage’s financial backer. The Briton was offered the chance to invest in a gold deal by Russia’s ambassador to the UK, but he ultimately declined. Banks has consistently said that he did not take any money from Russia.
“That confirmation should have been received by today to thus enable publication before the house is dissolved. But I regret to say that it has not. We thus have a committee of parliament waiting to lay a report before this house which comments directly on what has been seen as a perceived threat to our democratic processes. The report is understood to have already been cleared by Britain’s intelligence agencies, but a Downing Street spokesman said the approval process “usually takes several weeks to complete”. Sources said the process typically lasts six weeks, and the document had only been sent over two weeks ago.
Intelligence and security committee sources responded by saying that Downing Street’s claims were not true, and that the normal approval timescale was not six weeks, but 10 working days. Opposition politicians accused Johnson of staging a political cover-up ahead of the election.
Ben Bradshaw, the Labour MP for Exeter, asked what ministers had to hide by withholding clearance. “People will be justified in drawing the conclusion that the report’s findings are compromising or worse for the government and the Tory party,” he said.
The intelligence and security committee, which meets regularly when parliament is in session, had been working on a report about Russian attempts to infiltrate Britain’s democratic processes for several months. It had hoped to make its recommendations ahead of an election that has been widely anticipated for several weeks.
But Grieve, making a point of order in the Commons on Thursday morning, warned that the release of those recommendations may now not take place. “Parliament and the public ought to have, and must have, access to this report in light of the forthcoming election, and it’s really unacceptable for the prime minister to sit on it and deny them that information,” Grieve said.
John Bercow, the Speaker, said ministers would have heard the appeal, adding: “I would hope that as the leader of the house [Jacob Rees-Mogg] is sitting on the frontbench, we might make progress on this matter. It can be expedited, potentially, and the leader might be willing to act as a messenger and we’ll have to see what the result is.”
To vote in a UK general election you must:To vote in a UK general election you must:
Be 18 or over on the day of the election.Be 18 or over on the day of the election.
Be a British, Irish or qualifying Commonwealth citizen.Be a British, Irish or qualifying Commonwealth citizen.
Be resident at an address in the UK (or a British citizen living abroad who has been registered to vote in the UK in the last 15 years).Be resident at an address in the UK (or a British citizen living abroad who has been registered to vote in the UK in the last 15 years).
Not be legally excluded from voting.Not be legally excluded from voting.
You also need to be on the electoral register. You only have to register once, but will need to re-register if you have changed your address, name or nationality. In order to vote in this general election you must be registered by at least Monday 25 November. You also need to be on the electoral register. You only have to register once, but will need to re-register if you have changed your address, name or nationality. In order to vote in this general election you must be registered by Tuesday 26 November.
The forms can be completed online. You may need details of your national insurance number and your passport if you’re a British citizen living abroad, and want to vote in England, Scotland or Wales.The forms can be completed online. You may need details of your national insurance number and your passport if you’re a British citizen living abroad, and want to vote in England, Scotland or Wales.
If you need help, you should contact your local Electoral Registration Office. You can use this service to find the address if you live in England, Scotland or Wales. If you live in Northern Ireland you need to contact the Electoral Office for Northern Ireland (EONI).If you need help, you should contact your local Electoral Registration Office. You can use this service to find the address if you live in England, Scotland or Wales. If you live in Northern Ireland you need to contact the Electoral Office for Northern Ireland (EONI).
“Parliament and the public ought to have, and must have, access to this report in light of the forthcoming election, and it’s really unacceptable for the prime minister to sit on it and deny them that information.” Bercow said he hoped that it would not be necessary for Grieve to have to raise the matter again.
The Speaker, John Bercow, said ministers would have heard the appeal, adding: “I would hope that as the leader of the house [Jacob Rees-Mogg] is sitting on the frontbench, we might make progress on this matter – it can be expedited, potentially, and the leader might be willing to act as a messenger and we’ll have to see what the result is.” One of those who gave evidence to the committee was William Browder, a financier and human rights campaigner. His testimony raised concerns about the willingness of former British diplomats, intelligence officers and establishment figures to work on behalf of Russian interests.
Bercow said he hoped it would not be necessary for Grieve to have to raise the matter again. Browder’s evidence named Boris Johnson’s election adviser Lynton Crosby and former Labour attorney general Peter Goldsmith, among those who have conducted advisory and lobbying work on behalf of Russians who wanted to avoid being hit by EU economic sanctions.
The committee exists to provide cross-party oversight of the government’s security and intelligence activities. Its reports are cleared by Downing Street to check if there is any information that would be prejudicial to the workings of the intelligence agencies. When reports of its work first emerged, Lord Goldsmith’s law firm, Debevoise & Plimpton, said it could not comment on confidential matters and that everyone is entitled to legal representation. Crosby’s firm CTF Partners said it was not involved in lobbying and simply conducted research on behalf of the law firm.
The intelligence and security committee exists to provide cross-party oversight of the government’s security and intelligence activities. Its reports are cleared by Downing Street to check if there is any information that it believes would be prejudicial to the UK’s national security interests.
Stewart McDonald, the SNP’s defence spokesman, said: “Boris Johnson has now had this report for two weeks and it would be wholly unacceptable for parliament not to be given its contents before being dissolved.”
Boris JohnsonBoris Johnson
Dominic GrieveDominic Grieve
House of CommonsHouse of Commons
UK security and counter-terrorismUK security and counter-terrorism
RussiaRussia
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