Claims No 10 'sitting on' Russian interference report

[Denzil_DC]

...
The report includes evidence from UK intelligence services concerning Russian attempts to influence the outcome of the 2016 EU referendum and 2017 general election.

The document, compiled by the Parliamentary Intelligence and Security Committee, was referred to the Prime Minister's office on 17 October but, unless it is cleared for publication by the beginning of next week, it will not be released before the UK goes to the polls on 12 December.
...
Previous disclosures would suggest that these Russian activities did not match the scale of those directed against the 2016 US presidential election, and even in that case, there is considerable debate about how far people were actually influenced by these actions.

However the sense that No 10 might be uncomfortable with the emergence of the Intelligence and Security Committee's report prior to the election may prove more significant than the evidence it actually contains.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-50256887

I had a sudden pang of nostalgia for the times when we lefties used to be accused of being Russian-funded, quickly followed by jealousy because nobody I knew ever received a penny.

Meanwhile in foreign election interference news, Trump had a phone interview on Farage's LBC show yesterday:

Donald Trump has criticised Boris Johnson's Brexit deal with the EU, saying it restricts the US's ability to do future trade with the UK.

Speaking to LBC, he said that, without the deal, the two countries could "do many times the numbers" than now.

The US president also took a swipe at Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, saying he would be "so bad" as prime minister.

Mr Corbyn accused him of "trying to interfere" in the UK general election to boost "his friend Boris Johnson".

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2019-50252285

Trump is due to visit the UK again to attend the 70th anniversary NATO summit a week or so before the election.

[gab13by13]

1. Always blaming Russia,

Has the UK ever thought about blaming Ukraine, oops, never mind, that one is already taken.

[Denzil_DC]

2. Actually, many of us Brits who post in this group are skeptical

about the extent and effect of Russian interference, which even if it exists is dwarfed by the scale of US right-wing interference in our politics over the years.

I'd still like to see this report published, though.

[Denzil_DC]

3. According to advance leaks, my skepticism is shared by the investigators:

An Intelligence Report Will Say UK Spy Agencies Found No Evidence Of Russian State Interference In The Outcome Of The Brexit Referendum

The UK’s intelligence agencies have found no evidence that the Russian state interfered in the outcome of the Brexit referendum and the 2017 general election, according to two sources with direct knowledge of the findings in an as-yet unpublished report from Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee.
...
The scope of the committee’s investigation was on the Russian “threat” to the UK, and it’s understood that direct Russian state interference in the outcome of the referendum and last election was just one of the areas assessed.

While sources say no evidence was found to substantiate that, the report could still produce evidence of other hostile acts or attempts to influence politics by Russia against the UK.

It has been reported that the dossier also covers cyber-security attacks and continued cyber threats as well as the influence of Russian money flowing into UK politics, and that this could contain revelations that would be embarrassing to the Conservative party.

https://www.buzzfeed.com/albertonardelli/intelligence-report-russia-no-interference-brexit

The issue of Tory funding interests me more than any shenanigans that may have occurred on social media etc. We know that various Russian donors have been generous to Tories - paying large sums for "a round of golf", for instance, which is no doubt the least of it.

One question is whether such donations have been made as part of a concerted Russian state campaign or are just everyday examples of Russian oligarchs currying favour for their own benefit.

[Denzil_DC]

4. Trump-Russia dossier author gave evidence to UK intrusion inquiry

A report on Russian interference in British politics allegedly being sat on by Downing Street includes evidence from Christopher Steele, the former head of MI6’s Russia desk whose investigation into Donald Trump’s links with Moscow sparked a US political scandal.

Steele made submissions in writing to parliament’s intelligence and security committee (ISC), it is understood. A counter-intelligence specialist, Steele spent his career tracking Russian influence operations around the world and investigated Alexander Litvinenko’s 2006 murder.

The cross-party committee has been examining Russian interference in British politics for more than a year. It took evidence from both the UK’s spy agencies and experts on Kremlin intelligence and disinformation tactics such as Steele.

Members examined claims that the Kremlin tried to distort the result of the 2016 EU referendum, starting work after the former prime minister Theresa May had warned that Russia was sowing discord by “weaponising information” in the UK.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/nov/01/trump-russia-dossier-author-gave-evidence-to-uk-intrusion-inquiry

Added as a sidelight. The involvement of Steele is interesting, especially if his evidence didn't contradict the report's alleged findings.

Maybe we'll get to see it one day.