Russia report controvesy

[Fambo Number Mive]

Number 10 is refusing to publish a report into alleged Russian government interference in UK politics

It examines Russian activity including allegations of espionage, subversion and interference in elections and includes evidence from UK intelligence services such as GCHQ, MI5 and MI6 concerning covert Russian attempts to influence the outcome of the 2016 EU referendum and 2017 general election.

Grieve will ask an urgent question on the report today. The former M15 head Lord Evans of Weardale said the report should be released and ministers need to explain why they were not prepared to release it.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-50300551

[Buelligan]

It's an odd story, isn't it?  Now updated.

General election 2019: Gove denies holding back Russia interference report

I mean, if there's nothing to see, why refuse to publish?  And yet, one asks oneself, with pressure to publish coming from Dominic Grieve and former head of MI5, Lord Evans of Weardale, hardly socialists, what is the motivation for this urgency?  Why are they pushing this? 

As both have read it and are therefore in a position to understand why it needs to be seen before the election (Grieve is chairperson of the Intelligence and Security Committee that wrote it), one can only surmise that the report contains something fairly serious relating to the Referendum.

[bgmnts]

What if the Russians are interfering with this report?

[Buelligan]

If I told you, I'd have to kill you.

[BlodwynPig]

Whoever has seen the Report should just spill the beans. If I worked in the SS (Secret Service) I'd be spilling the beans on anything illegal or immoral.

[Buelligan]

I'm not sure about that, Blods, I think you'd probably be practicing contortionism in a gym bag.  On the whole, it's probably a good thing that you don't do that.

[imitationleather]

If I worked in the SS (Secret Service) I'd be spilling the beans on anything illegal or immoral.

Probably don't put that in your cover letter.

[Buelligan]

Or do but put a little winking smiley after.

[Twed]

Fake beans.

[New folder]

What if there are Russians interfering in this very thread RIGHT NOW?

[Cloud]

Timely dead-catting by Lord Snooty - ignore his trolling about Grenfell.

[idunnosomename]

Timely dead-catting by Lord Snooty - ignore his trolling about Grenfell.

not everything is a knight jumping a queen from the Nth dimension. Tories are going to say horrible things because theyre horrid

[Huxleys Babkins]

Rees-Mogg is a backbench loon that says shit like this all the time. They could get away with it before because the Tory party had grownups on the front benches. They don't have that luxury now.

[Spudgun]

Is there a chance that there's something in the report linking Russia to the 2017 election not going as expected, and they're waiting for the perfect moment later in this campaign to drop the "Putin backs Corbyn" line into the public consciousness?

[Buelligan]

Is there a chance that there's something in the report linking Russia to the 2017 election not going as expected, and they're waiting for the perfect moment later in this campaign to drop the "Putin backs Corbyn" line into the public consciousness?

Anything's possible.

[Replies From View]

I'm not sure about that, Blods, I think you'd probably be practicing contortionism in a gym bag.  On the whole, it's probably a good thing that you don't do that.

True you'll have the smell of socks on you for a fortnight afterwards.

I should know - I've done it!!!

[Buelligan]

We all know that's not why you smell of "socks".

[Replies From View]

We all know that's not why you smell of "socks".

It is.


Also, that's not how you spell "controversy".

[Buelligan]

I know. 


It's been doing my FUCKING head in all night.

*stabs own hand with biro*

[Zetetic]

John Sweeney stands in front of a mountain in Italy for two minutes.

The state anthem of the Soviet Union plays.



It'd be nice if we could knock some of the nonsense on the head when it comes to this stuff.

[Fambo Number Mive]

Nine Russian business people who gave money to the Conservative Party are named in a secret intelligence report on the threats posed to UK democracy which was suppressed last week by Downing Street.

Oligarchs and other wealthy Tory donors were included in the report on illicit Russian activities in Britain by the cross-party intelligence and security select committee (ISC), whose publication was blocked by No 10.

Some Russian donors are personally close to the prime minister...

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/russian-tory-donors-named-in-secret-report-z98nqpkx0

The paper also claims "Intelligence agencies are 'furious' over No 10's block on publication"

[Zetetic]

I believe that much of that is trivially visible on the Electoral Commission's register. Search for Termerko, for example.

Which isn't to say that it's unimportant, but it might be relevant to the purpose and provenance of this leak. (For example, to distract from anything more novel in the ISC's findings.)

Edit: Interesting to see who's been getting money from who though. Might be worth nudging local papers.

Edit: It's also worth noting that at least some of these people are fairly explicitly opposed to Putin - not because they're lovely liberal socialists, but because they're cunt oligarchs who happened to pick the wrong side at some point.

[SteK]

John Sweeney stands in front of a mountain in Italy for two minutes.

The state anthem of the Soviet Union plays.

I think Russian National Anthem is the old Soviet one now, with different words....

Just saying' like....

[Zetetic]

Well don't bother, because the piece playing behind John Sweeney opens with the words "Союз нерушимый республик свободных".

Listen for yourself - "So-yuz neru-shimii..."

[SteK]

Well don't bother, because the piece playing behind John Sweeney opens with the words "Союз нерушимый республик свободных".

Listen for yourself - "So-yuz neru-shimii..."

Actually I meant the tune, not the words....

Just sayin'....

[Zetetic]

Ok.

The piece I was referring to was the state anthem of the Soviet Union.

[Fambo Number Mive]

The Bureau of Investigative Journalism has written to Boris Johnson demanding the report's publication before the election and giving him six days to respond. The bureau says it will launch a judicial review if he refuses.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

In respect of this issue there are questions which need asking and answering, first of all: av u bin 2 bar samui? yet belta