LONDON – A long-awaited report published Tuesday on Russian influence in British politics criticized the British government fo
LONDON – A long-awaited report published Tuesday on Russian influence in British politics criticized the British government for its slow response to Russian interference in the 2016 Brexit referendum, with its authors saying it was „astonishing“ that no one sought to protect that democratic process.
The report’s authors accused the British government of „actively avoiding“ looking into evidence of the Russian threat in the EU referendum. „Serious questions needed to be asked,“ the authors said.
While the report from the parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee said it would be „difficult – if not impossible – to prove“ allegations that Russia sought to influence the referendum, it was clear that the government „was slow to recognize the existence of the threat“ even after evidence emerged of Russian interference in the U. S. elections and the Scottish independence referendum in 2014.
„As a result, the government did not take action to protect the U. K.’s process in 2016,“ the report said.
The report says Russia sees Britain as one of its top intelligence targets in the West. It said Russian influence in the U. K. is the „new normal,“ and successive governments have welcomed Russian oligarchs with open arms. Russians with „very close links“ to President Vladimir Putin were „well integrated into the U.
