JRL NEWSWATCH: “What does the Russia report mean for British people and politics? Luke Harding considers the implications of the report on Moscow’s meddling” – The Guardian

July 22, 2020 JRL Russia List Britain, UK, United Kingdom, Europe, EU, JRL NewsBlog, Spies, Spy Allegations

File Photo of British Parliament Building, Big Ben, Thames, adapted from image at loc.gov

“… The Russia report accuses the government of failing to investigate Russian interference in British politics, in particular during the 2016 EU referendum. The Commons intelligence and security committee[] … says Downing Street showed a ‘lack of curiosity’ over Kremlin meddling. … [not] say[ing] whether this complacency was deliberate or an omission[,] [e]ither way … a stunning rebuke of Boris Johnson and … predecessor … Theresa May. We now know why Johnson sought to bury the report before last December’s general election. … The report broadly reflects the expert view of Christopher Steele, a former MI6 spy who gave evidence to the ISC in 2018. … sa[ying] Johnson, as foreign secretary, and May ‘threw a blanket’ over indications that the Russians had pushed for Brexit and may have covertly funded the campaign. … put[ting] Tory party politics above national security, Steele alleged. … [According to the] ISC … ‘The written evidence provided to us appeared to suggest that HMG [Her Majesty’s government] had not seen or sought evidence of successful interference in UK democratic processes or any activity that has had a material impact on an election, for example influencing results.’ ….”