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.
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 Intelligence and Security Committee today published its long awaited report into allegations of Russian meddling in British democracy