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| Dominic Grieve calls for release of report on Russian meddling in UK | Dominic Grieve calls for release of report on Russian meddling in UK |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Dominic Grieve has called for the publication of a report on Russian meddling in the democratic process to be published before the general election, saying it contains knowledge “germane” to voters. | Dominic Grieve has called for the publication of a report on Russian meddling in the democratic process to be published before the general election, saying it contains knowledge “germane” to voters. |
| Boris Johnson had been expected to approve publication of the 50-page dossier – compiled by the cross-party intelligence and security committee – by Thursday but a failure to do so has sparked calls for it to be released and there has been speculation it could be potentially damaging to the government. | |
| “I cannot think of a reason why he should wish to prevent this report being published,” Grieve, the chairman of the intelligence and security committee, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. “It’s very demoralising for us when we find we put in months of work and at the end of it we’re not getting an adequate response.” | |
| Johnson accused of withholding key report on Russia from voters | Johnson accused of withholding key report on Russia from voters |
| Asked if there was useful information in the report for voters, he said: “Yes I think there is. It’s about information. I want to emphasise I’m not about to explain what’s in the report, I’m not allowed to and I wouldn’t dream of doing so. | Asked if there was useful information in the report for voters, he said: “Yes I think there is. It’s about information. I want to emphasise I’m not about to explain what’s in the report, I’m not allowed to and I wouldn’t dream of doing so. |
| “But the report is informative and people are entitled to information, and it seems to us that this report is germane because we do know, and I think it is widely accepted, that the Russians have sought to interfere in other countries’ democratic processes in the past.” | “But the report is informative and people are entitled to information, and it seems to us that this report is germane because we do know, and I think it is widely accepted, that the Russians have sought to interfere in other countries’ democratic processes in the past.” |
| The Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, was among those who called for the report to be published, asking what the government “have got to hide”. | |
| “Yes it should be released,” he said. “And I suspect that the reason it hasn’t been published is because they’re going to delay it past the dissolution of parliament on Tuesday and then they can hide it away until some point in the future. | |
| “If a report has been called for and written, and it should be in the public domain, then what have they got to hide?” | |
| The House of Commons was previously told the report was sent to the prime minister on 17 October, and Grieve – who will sit as an independent at the next election after he was expelled from the Conservative party over Brexit – said it must be released before parliament is dissolved on Tuesday. | |
| 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 includes claims that Russia launched a major influence operation in 2016 in support of Brexit. | |
| The business secretary, Andrea Leadsom, said there was nothing unusual about the report not being published. | The business secretary, Andrea Leadsom, said there was nothing unusual about the report not being published. |
| She told the Today programme she did not know why the report’s publication had been delayed and said: “I wouldn’t accept that it’s been held up. I don’t think there’s anything unusual about this.” | She told the Today programme she did not know why the report’s publication had been delayed and said: “I wouldn’t accept that it’s been held up. I don’t think there’s anything unusual about this.” |
| The outgoing Speaker, John Bercow, said on Thursday that he hoped the Commons leader, Jacob Rees-Mogg, would help expedite the publication of the report and that it would not be necessary for Grieve to raise the matter again. | |
| Dominic Grieve | Dominic Grieve |
| General election 2019 | General election 2019 |
| Russia | Russia |
| Europe | Europe |
| Boris Johnson | Boris Johnson |
| news | news |
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