Long-awaited Russia report finds the UK government ‘underestimated the threat from the Kremlin and is still playing catch up’ as it is FINALLY published after nine month delay
A long-awaited report in allegations of Russian meddling in British democracy has found the UK Government ‘underestimated’ the threat posed by the Kremlin.
The Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) said that as a result Britain is now having to ‘play catch up’ to counter potential Russian interference.
On the issue of Brexit, the committee said it ‘would be difficult, if not impossible, to prove’ the ‘actual impact’ of any Russian interference but that in broad terms the ‘UK is clearly a target for Russian disinformation’.
The committee said that it ‘questions whether Government took its eye off the ball on Russia’ as it warned that ‘Russian influence in the UK is the new normal’.
It blasted ‘successive governments’ for having welcomed Russian oligarchs and their money into British society ‘with open arms’.
This had provided them ‘with a means of recycling illicit finance through the London “laundromat”‘ as well as with ‘connections at the highest levels with access to UK companies and political figures’.
The results of the 18 month long probe were finally published this morning after a nine month delay.
The Intelligence and Security Committee today published its long awaited report into allegations of Russian meddling in British democracy
The report said: ‘Intelligence and Security Committee questions whether Government took its eye off the ball on Russia, finds that they underestimated the response required to the Russian threat and are still playing catch up.
‘Russian influence in the UK is the new normal. Successive Governments have welcomed the oligarchs and their money with open arms, providing them with a means of recycling illicit finance through the London “laundromat”, and connections at the highest levels with access to UK companies and political figures.
‘This has led to a growth industry of “enablers” including lawyers, accountants, and estate agents who are – wittingly or unwittingly – de facto agents of the Russian state.’
The committee said there is an ‘inherent tension’ between the Government’s desire to drive prosperity and the need to protect national security.
The report said that is now too late to ‘shut the stable door’ but that the UK can still introduce ‘greater powers and transparency’ to address the issues – measures it argues are ‘needed urgently’.