The summary of the #RussiaReport (sent to the press) alone is both disturbing and mildly damning of politicians and officials. Suggests government may have “taken its eye off the ball on Russia” and are “still playing catch up” 
Need to look through the report in more detail but seems the government with most questions to answer here is the Cameron government. Report identifies prioritisation of commercial links with Russia/Russian citizens over security concerns. Similar themes with China story.
Though all governments (before and after) have questions to answer.
Report says Cameron government was slow to recognise the potential threat of Russian interference in the EU referendum. Says subsequent governments haven’t really looked into what impact it might have had (or if they have haven’t shared results with the committee).
Report says responsibility for defending our democracy is too fragmented across different parts of govt. criticises May govt waiting until Feb 2019 to create and sign off the Defending Democracy programme.
The theme of the #russiareport is indifference. That governments knew Russia had tried to interfere with our democratic processes but seemed unwilling to ask too many questions about whether it was happening still and apparently less interested to do much about it.
Again, the theme of indifference comes up. Committee questions why we haven’t had a proper “retrospective” into potential Russian interference in the 2016 referendum, in contrast to US govt, which has looked into question of interference in 2016 election extensively.
.@KevanJonesMP, MP on the Intelligence Committee: “All the evidence was there from the Scottish referendum. Short of having a big billboard outside Downing St, what more did the government need?”
