Boris Johnson in spotlight as questions raised over Russian influence on UK

Foreign secretary among three ministers targeted by people linked to FBI investigation into Donald Trump’s alleged collusion with Moscow

Three senior past and present Foreign Office ministers, including the foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, were targeted by individuals identified by the FBI last week as central to their investigation into Trump-Russia collusion, the Observer has learned.

Tom Watson, deputy leader of the Labour party, called the revelations “extraordinary” and said the government must say whether other ministers were targeted or had meetings.

The reports from the US had shocked MPs, he said, and it was vital to know if the Russian state had also sought to influence British politics.

The Observer has learned of meetings and encounters between British ministers and two individuals named in FBI indictments unsealed last week – George Papadopoulos, a foreign policy adviser for Donald Trump’s campaign, and a “London professor” with high-level connections to the Russian state, subsequently identified as a Maltese academic, Joseph Mifsud.

...

The revelation comes as the Observer investigation into foreign influence places him in a web of relationships between a known Russian spy, Sergey Nalobin, expelled from Britain in 2015, and Matthew Elliott, the chief executive of Vote Leave, the official Leave campaign headed by Johnson.

Watson said: “We’re starting to have a much clearer picture from America of how the Russian state sought to influence the US election and I think there are multiple questions to be asked about how and in what ways the Russian state may have been exerting influence in British politics.

Given the gravity of the allegations against Mr Papadopoulos, the government should make public any meetings these two individuals had with British officials and what was discussed.”

Tom Brake, the Liberal Democrat spokesman for Brexit, said it was time to launch a formal inquiry. “With concerns emerging about possible Russian interference here in the EU referendum, the [Commons] intelligence and security committee needs to be reconstituted as a matter of urgency.” “Their first inquiry should focus on possible Russian meddling in the EU referendum. People need to know if Russian roubles played any part in securing the small majority for Brexit on 23June 2016.”

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Does it really stretch the imagination that much to think that Brexit was a dry run for Trump 2016 ?

originally posted by: Damiel
Does it really stretch the imagination that much to think that Brexit was a dry run for Trump 2016 ?

Or that somebody named Boris is a Russian stooge?

originally posted by: Damiel
Does it really stretch the imagination that much to think that Brexit was a dry run for Trump 2016 ?

Nope however the groups in the UK who wanted to remain in the EU will use this to delegitimize the original vote to leave and at the end it will be decided that another vote should be held to make sure it was fair where the new result will be for the UK to remain in the EU.

a reply to: Xcathdra

Nope however the groups in the UK who wanted to remain in the EU will use this to delegitimize the original vote to leave and at the end it will be decided that another vote should be held to make sure it was fair where the new result will be for the UK to remain in the EU.

Which is probably the most wished for outcome for all concerned

If Theresa May were able to pull that one off
she'd probably go down in history as the Jeanne d'Arc of british politics

The irony !

a reply to: JohnnyCanuck
There's no face-palm icon

Of couuuuurse people should've twigged years ago
Red Boris !

Boris The Red
héhéhé

those damn russians!

a reply to: Jiggly

Those damned fools Cameron Johnson, Farage...

a reply to: Damiel

I would still vote Exit, the attitude of the EU administration so far just adding to the reasons.

Equally, the vote exposed so much ignorance and prejudice in the UK I don't think the original vote can be smoothed over.

As for Russian 'meddling', it is naive to think the US wasn't/isn't doing the same.

The ballot will not be re-run for the 'fear' of the result being unchanged.

When negotiations start I predict a "Norway style' outcome on trade, and a visa system on future, but not past, EU residence. 'Compensation' (aka penalty payments) will not be agreed, but subject to review based on the trade agreement.

In the short term the UK could, usefully perhaps, help the Catalans in thier struggle for freedom.

The EU is about to go bang of its own accord it really doesn't need much meddling with.

originally posted by: Doxanoxa
a reply to: Damiel

I would still vote Exit, the attitude of the EU administration so far just adding to the reasons.

Equally, the vote exposed so much ignorance and prejudice in the UK I don't think the original vote can be smoothed over.

As for Russian 'meddling', it is naive to think the US wasn't/isn't doing the same.

The ballot will not be re-run for the 'fear' of the result being unchanged.

When negotiations start I predict a "Norway style' outcome on trade, and a visa system on future, but not past, EU residence. 'Compensation' (aka penalty payments) will not be agreed, but subject to review based on the trade agreement.

In the short term the UK could, usefully perhaps, help the Catalans in thier struggle for freedom.

The EU is about to go bang of its own accord it really doesn't need much meddling with.

I hope it does go bang. I actually was quite happy for it to exist and succeed, just didn't want to be in it. Now I hope it doesnt. I have nothing but hostile intentions toward it and those involved with it.

a reply to: Damiel

Tom Brake, the Liberal Democrat spokesman for Brexit

I think it more likely that Tom Brake is looking for any way to revive the shot fox that is the LibDems desire to remain in the EU , they're desperately scrambling to find a way of overturning our Democratic choice.

They've already said if they were in power (lol) they would hold another vote on membership, it's in their manifesto.

a reply to: Damiel

I suggested the exact same thing in yesterdays thread about Trump and the Russians.

I think it is entirely plausable that the Russians used social media to influence the brexit and I imagine so did the other nations.

They will have also used whatever they could to influence the outcome to benefit thier own nation.

To think otherwise would be foolish in my opinion.

I very much want to know more about the dark money that was sloshing about the Brexit campaign, that the DUP laundered for the Brexiteers that seems to have come from foreign powers.

The biggest propaganda coup for the Leave campaign was the last 40 odd years membership of the undemocratic mess that is the Eu.
Putin himself wouldn't have got me to vote remain in a million bloody years.

a reply to: SprocketUK


I hate to rehash the Brexit campaign again, but when you call the EU undemocratic, you know that's utterly untrue?

We hold elections for our MEPs. You might not have ever voted in the EU democratic process, but I have.


It might well be a mess, but it's absolutely not 'undemocratic'.

a reply to: Damiel

I honestly think that will be her last act as PM. I'm not saying she will cut and run after doing it but I think when she sees that she isn't wanted by her own party to a greater extent than it is now she will offer a second vote on Brexit to remain either in power or to remain as a figurehead in the party. As a Brexit voter I'll be royally PO'D if they do a second vote but wouldn't it be funny if a second vote brought about the same result and we got a second vote for Brexit lol.

a reply to: Damiel

As others have said, this will be used as a means to try and throw Brexit out. The remoaners have been looking and desperately searching for something to either have a second vote or stop it completely. I voted Brexit and would do a hundred times over but I think a second vote would put a larger number off and people would either not bother voting or the vote would be in the reverse because fearmongering is still going on.

Boris Johnson conspiring with the Russians?????? Come on, don't make laugh. Boris Johnson couldn't organise a pi** up in a brewery. But while you're all looking that way and your indignation is up against those nasty Russians, What about all the MPs being outed for sexual assault.
Oh, so easy to get you to take your sight off the ball.

originally posted by: Painterz
a reply to: SprocketUK


I hate to rehash the Brexit campaign again, but when you call the EU undemocratic, you know that's utterly untrue?

We hold elections for our MEPs. You might not have ever voted in the EU democratic process, but I have.


It might well be a mess, but it's absolutely not 'undemocratic'.

you are just showing your lack of understanding there. You are unable to vote for one single person who has the power to enact or repeal a law. All those powers reside with the commission, not the parliament which only has the power to make advisory votes on proposed laws.

You may be happy with that. I am not and don't try and tell me it's democracy. It's a sham.

Well, Russian influence in the UK has been unsuccessful judging by the frosty relations. Unless you are someone scrabbling for a reason why people voted to leave the EU.

I can't see the Impact report as having anything positive to say

We know that the banking and service industries will take massive hits
the food and beverage sectors will be shaky
building, manufacturing ...

nothing positive will come of if Brexit

I still reckon the 'national security' card will be the last gambit

not least, the UK has always been seen as the Trojan horse for the US in the EU
What use is an empty vassal to anybody ?

ETA :
reports from the weekend indicate that the average household is already 600£
worse off since the refrendum result

This is before the UK is even officially out of the EU !