Boris Johnson

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On the website of the parliamentary Committee on intelligence and security of the United Kingdom published a report about the Russian threat

The Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is considering a new law which will require the official registration of agents of foreign influence, after members of Parliament accused the government in a serious underestimation of the “Russian threat” following the report, Russia’s attempts to intervene in elections and referendums. It is reported by BBC Russian service, citing sources in Downing street.

On the eve of the labour opposition in Parliament harshly criticized the government for “systemic failures” in the risk assessment process and anti-Russia and other “hostile States”. The shadow Minister of internal Affairs Nick Thomas-Symonds has accused the current government that it did not provide intelligence to policy support, legislation and resources to counter “the growing threat” from Moscow. And the head of the foreign office Dominic Raab urged Russia “to stop the attack on Britain and our allies.”

In a statement released on the eve of the report “Russia” Committee on intelligence and security Parliament of great Britain, has drawn attention including extensive cash flows from Russia to Britain: the authors of the report called London’s “Laundry” for Russian oligarchs. During the elections in Britain, according to the Committee, clearly waged a campaign of disinformation from the Russian side.

One of the recommendations of the report was the adoption of new laws. One of them is the “espionage Act”, which outlaws any espionage activities in Britain and may include requirements for those who work represents the interests of foreign powers. They will be required to register on arrival in Britain. Those who do not, and will operate “under cover” will be breaking the law.

The MPs also noted that the Cabinet of Ministers did not make any attempts to investigate allegations of Russian interference in a referendum on Brexit, and criticized the intelligence and counterintelligence for the fact that they did not pay attention to these messages. The same applies to possible hostile actions by other countries, such as China. Representatives of the Cabinet of Ministers said that the government has no evidence of the success of the proposed intervention of Russia in the referendum. The Russian foreign Ministry in turn called the British parliamentary report of the manifestation of Russophobia.

The Times, a translation of an article which publishes InoPressa, argues that Prime Minister Boris Johnson is preparing to give the security services more powers to stop foreign intervention in the UK.

The Ministers reaffirmed that the UK will launch its own foreign agent on the model of the approach of the US and Australia: the American Law on registration of foreign agents requires persons working on behalf of foreign governments, officials and political parties, to register with the Ministry of justice and to submit periodic reports on their activities. Those who will not comply with the requirements, can be imprisoned or deported.

As stated by the Minister of transport Grant Shapps, this will be the first step in combating enemy espionage. He also refuted information about the laundering of illicit proceeds in the country, saying that “the money obtained by criminal means or through corruption, are simply not welcome in the UK.”

In the report on Russia contains testimonies of the former head of MI5, sir Andrew Parker, who told the parliamentarians that the foreign agents are in fact able to act with impunity in the UK because of outdated security laws: foreign spies can’t be prosecuted if they do not get caught when you try to official secrets. According to him, the provisions of the Law on state secrets largely obsolete, because a part of them belongs to the times of the First world war and reflects the influence in the economy and cybersphere.

However, current measures of the government, according to the newspaper, are not preventive, but rather limiting the damage. As reminds the edition, the report has been submitted to the Prime Minister in October last year, but its publication has been repeatedly postponed amid allegations that the government is trying to “hide” his conclusions.