Tewkesbury MP Cameron Thomas has called for a formal statutory inquiry into Russian interference in UK politics, highlighting growing concerns about the impact of foreign influence on national security. The call follows revelations about the profound consequences of a 2021 cyber attack on Gloucester City Council, linked to Russian hackers. This attack severely disrupted council services, triggered costly manual accounting procedures, and delayed audits that ultimately exposed multi-million pound overspends.
The issue of Russian meddling is not limited to cyber warfare. In a recent high-profile case, Nathan Gill, former Reform UK leader in Wales and UKIP MEP, was jailed for accepting bribes from Russia to promote pro-Kremlin rhetoric within UK political circles. These incidents underpin Mr. Thomas’s urgent appeal for a comprehensive inquiry.
Drawing on his extensive background serving in the Royal Air Force’s security sector, Mr. Thomas explained that Russia’s tactics constitute hybrid warfare—a blend of cyber attacks, disinformation, and political interference designed to weaken Western democracies. “While the Gloucester City Council incident might not have captured national headlines, it starkly reminds us that the conflict involving Russia and Ukraine has direct repercussions on UK soil,” he said.
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He stressed that Russia continuously probes the UK’s resilience, working methodically to undermine both political institutions and allied nations across Europe. “The struggle between Russia and Western democracies resembles the tensions of the Cold War and is now more immediate than ever," Mr. Thomas added.
He argued that full transparency is essential, asserting, “The public needs to understand the scale of foreign interference within our political parties and institutions. Only a statutory inquiry can unveil the breadth of this malign activity. We must ensure this information is revealed well before the next General Election.”
In response, the UK Government reaffirmed its commitment to protecting democracy and sovereign integrity. Initiatives include the Counter Political Interference and Espionage Action Plan, which introduces a suite of measures like enhanced security briefings for political parties, collaboration with professional networking sites to hamper espionage, and stricter regulations on political donations via a forthcoming Elections Bill.
Moreover, an independent review led by former Permanent Secretary Philip Rycroft has been commissioned to investigate foreign financial interference in UK politics, with a report expected by the end of March. A government spokesperson emphasized, “National security is our foremost priority. We will not tolerate any attempts to compromise our democracy or sovereign affairs.”