Johnson is feeling the pressure to publish report on Russian interference in UK affairs
Boris Johnson: he’s making this gesture to the public – metaphorically, if not actually – increasingly often these days.
Boris Johnson and his government are facing mounting pressure to publish a long-delayed report on Russia’s influence in UK politics.
The report was finalised by Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee last October – but Boris Johnson refused to sign it off before the general election.
The committee itself was dissolved in advance of that poll, but has not been reconvened since – because Mr Johnson has not approved the Conservative Party’s nominations of members.
Here’s the BBC’s Nick Eardsley:
Ultimately, members are appointed by the prime minister. But political parties are asked to nominate MPs – based on their relative size in the Commons – and there are also members from the Lords.
I understand opposition parties confirmed their nominations months ago. Sources said there had been enough time for relevant vetting to be carried out for new members.
But there is a lack of clarity on the Conservative candidates, with Tory MPs kept in the dark about whether a final decision has even been made six months after the election.
That’s led to frustration among the other parties in Westminster – with Labour, the SNP and the Liberal Democrats all calling for the committee to be reconvened urgently.
Downing Street has said work to re-establish the committee is going on “as quickly as current circumstances allow” – without explaining exactly which current circumstances are stopping Johnson from finalising his nominations.
The spokesperson said: “The Investigatory Powers Act allows the UK to maintain one of the most stringent scrutiny regimes in the world through the Investigatory Powers Commissioner, the Investigatory Powers Tribunal and both executive and judicial oversight.”
Fine words if you want to be reassured. But of course they omit the fact that only the Intelligence and Security Committee can make the so-called “Russia Report” public.
And the fact is that Johnson could rubber-stamp Tory nominations tomorrow, and the committee could meet to approve publication of the report on Monday.
So the question is: why doesn’t he do that?
Is there something in the report that he doesn’t want us to know? That’s the logical conclusion to draw from his actions.
Source: Government criticised for delay in setting up security committee – BBC News
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Boris Johnson has defended playing a game of tennis with the wife of one of Vladimir Putin’s ex-ministers in return for a £160,000 donation to the Conservatives.
Ms Chernukhin has also since paid £30,000 to have dinner with Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/boris-johnson-tennis-russian-billionaire-putin-minister-tory-donation-a8261871.html
He said nothing about donations or about any influence this person brought to bear upon him as a result of making those donations. His conversation was entirely about the Salisbury poisonings.
Johnson is relying upon the Dransfield Vexatious Court Precedent from the Court of Appeal decision (2015) EWCA Civ 454 14/5/2015 which is gross travesty of justice and is being used by every rogue government agency ,see para 68 in particular. Some 7 years post CoA and 2 decades post birth of the FOIA 2000 there is STILL no legal definition of VEXATIOUS, so what the hell is Johnson talking about. There is a definite connection between the Dransfield Case and the Russian Interference with Brexit and the General Election and Money Laundering inter alia.
Oh dear me they called wolf so many times on the ruskies the poor devils they now now they can’t call wolf has they held their greedie hands out for the Russian monies hay ho fraudulent lot of criminals who really should be traveling through traitors gate
Of course there is something he doesn’t want us to see. If it is ever published it will be heavily redacted for “security reasons” and we won’t get to see the most damning parts of the report.
Kateuk , he should not be allowed to redact any part of the Russian Report because the original Vexatious Decision Boris is reliant upon the Dransfield Vexatious Court Precedent is a bag of ***** at best, and at worst ,designed by the Tories and the ICO to pervert the course of justice.
Only a few weeks ago Bojo promised a new outlook on transparency, accountability and security (TAS). TAS MUST be seen to be working and it certainly AINT seen to be working at Bojo’s Office or the Cabinet Office with Covid 19, Windrush and the Russian Report, where lies, deception and hoodwinking is the order of the day and protected by the Dransfield Vexatious Court Precedent Hogwash. Ditto for the ICO and the Court of Appeal. The Dransfield Vexatious Court precedent is being used by ALL Government Departments and most if not all Rogue PA’s Nationwide.
The Russian Report MUST be published UNREDACTED asap.
Where is Starmer on this Russian Report scam?? He should be hammering this home every Wed at PM questions