Whatever the #RussiaReport says (and my prediction is that it will be [redacted]), I hope it helps Brits recognise that being the world's primary supplier of klepto-services is both an unsustainable and an unconscionable way for a democracy to make a living.
The desire to maintain business ties with Russia stopped Blair, Brown and Cameron from taking the necessary steps to limit Russian actions in the UK after the murder of Alexander Litvinenko. Hard to believe Johnson will be the man to make up that shortfall, but hope dies last.
All the things we need to do to limit the Kremlin's kleptocratic influence -- transparency of ownership of UK property and companies; solid money laundering controls; robust enforcement of financial regulations --- would also limit fraudsters, terrorists, and other baddies.
These measures would cost the City of London revenue in the short term; but in the long term would secure the honesty of our economy and politics, while also denying the world's worst people access to the global financial system.
And here it is.
Even with the redactions this is a fascinating paragraph. Should we be moving money for these people? 
Strong material on the City of London's work for oligarchs, with evidence from @Billbrowder
And a clear acknowledgement that the @NCA_UK lacks the resources it needs to counter the Russian financial threat.
And an interesting paragraph on the Kremlin's reaction to attempts to limit its influence. This is an unexpectedly good report.
And more on the resources of the NCA: effectively, it's saying it can't afford to take on oligarchs, which is something the government needs to get on top of urgently.
Of all the report, though, I think this is the most worrying section. Russian influence in business and politics has become so deeply entrenched it "cannot be untangled". This is something we need a national discussion about.
So, in short
- The Kremlin means us ill.
- This has been the case for a long time, but we've underestimated it.
- Law enforcement agencies lack the resources they need to deal with it.
- We need new laws to tackle the threat.
- But it's probably too late anyway.
#RussiaReport
- The Kremlin means us ill.
- This has been the case for a long time, but we've underestimated it.
- Law enforcement agencies lack the resources they need to deal with it.
- We need new laws to tackle the threat.
- But it's probably too late anyway.
#RussiaReport
But the puzzle: *WHY* did Boris Johnson think this was so politically harmful he blocked its publication until after December's general election? What am I missing?
(I wasn't too far off the mark by saying it would be [redacted] though, here are some examples, which are a bit tantalising. I particularly admire paragraph 102)
