UK officials 'avoided' looking into Russian meddling: Report

A fresh UK report has said that it was astonishing that no one sought to protect the 2016 EU referendum from Russian interference. The report criticised the British government for actively avoiding looking into the Russian threat.

London:A long-awaited report published on Tuesday on Russian influence in British politics criticized the UK 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.

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 US elections back in 2014.

As a result, the government did not take action to protect the UK's process in 2016.

The report's authors criticised the British government for actively avoiding looking into the Russian threat. Serious questions needed to be asked why ministers didn't look into the issue after evidence of interference in the 2014 Scottish referendum and reports of similar activity in the US elections, it said.

It added that Russia sees Britain as one of its top intelligence targets in the West. It said Moscow's influence in the UK is the new normal, and added successive governments have welcomed Russian oligarchs with open arms.

AP