A Gloucestershire Member of Parliament, Cameron Thomas, is urgently calling for a statutory inquiry into Russian interference within UK politics. His appeal follows the recent unveiling of the far-reaching consequences stemming from a 2021 cyber attack on Gloucester City Council, which has been linked to Russian hackers.
The cyberattack severely disrupted council operations, inflicted significant financial damages, forced manual accounting processes, and delayed audits that subsequently revealed multi-million-pound overspends. This incident is emblematic of the broader threat posed by hybrid warfare tactics employed by Russia, combining cyber attacks, disinformation campaigns, and direct political interference to weaken Western democracies.
Adding to these concerns, Nathan Gill, former Reform UK leader in Wales and ex-UKIP Member of the European Parliament, was jailed in November for accepting Russian bribes in exchange for promoting pro-Kremlin statements.
READ MORE: Two Fatal House Fires Near Stroud Confirmed as Unrelated by Fire Officer
READ MORE: Budget Cuts Raise Concerns Over Council’s Climate Commitment as 2030 Net Zero Target Looms
MP Thomas, a Liberal Democrat and former Royal Air Force security officer with over 20 years of experience, underscores the gravity of these events serving as a stark reminder that the Russian conflict in Ukraine hits closer to home than many realize.
“Russia continuously tests our national resilience in a calculated, methodical manner—these actions are interconnected and principally aimed against the UK and its European allies,” Thomas stated.
He insists the public must be fully informed about the extent of foreign interference infiltrating British political parties and key institutions. “The current geopolitical climate resembles, if not exceeds, Cold War tensions between Russia and Western democracies,” he warned. “Only a comprehensive statutory inquiry can expose the full scale of malign activities and ensure transparency before the forthcoming General Election.”
The UK Government has reaffirmed its zero-tolerance stance on any attempts to jeopardize the nation’s democratic process or sovereignty. Its newly introduced Counter Political Interference and Espionage Action Plan aims to detect and deter espionage and state threats through measures including security briefings for political parties, cooperation with professional networking platforms to make espionage more difficult, and stricter political donation regulations under the upcoming Elections Bill.
An independent review focused on foreign financial interference in UK politics, led by former Permanent Secretary Philip Rycroft, has also been commissioned and is expected to report by the end of March.
A Government spokesperson commented, “National security is our foremost priority. We remain steadfast in preventing any foreign attempts to interfere in our democracy and sovereign affairs.”