Thread by @IanDunt

Last PMQs before recess. Enjoy* it while you can.

*You won't enjoy it.

parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/3f…

Starmer leading on Russia report. That's impressive. His instinct will have been to stay away from it as Brexit-tinged.

First Q: Why did Johnson sit on it. Johnson trying to smear Starmer by association with Corbyn. Starmer: "I supported the then PM on record. I would ask the PM to check the record and correct that."

"The govt has taken its eye off the ball. Arguably it wasn't even on the pitch."

Johnson: "The rt hon questions are absurd."

Johnson: UK - wait for it - "leads the world" in tackling Russia. Extraordinary claim, given the UK officially does not even bother investigating Russian interference in our democratic process.

Starmer: 18 months ago home sec said they didn't have all the powers yet to counter the Russian threat. "Why has the govt delayed so long in bringing forward this legislation?"

"This is about pressure from Islingtonian Remainers who have seized on this report to suggest Russia was responsible for Brexit." This is Johnson doing Putin's work for him: Relying on tribal division to avoid tackling the Russian threat to British national security.

It's fucking shocking really. As abysmal a statement as I've heard from a prime minister. Utter dereliction of duty.

Starmer raises disjointed response to Russia raised by the intelligence committee. Johnson: "Everyone understands these criticism are motivated by a desire to undermine the referendum to leave the EU, the result of which he cannot bring himself to accept."

Johnson tries the flip-flop line against Starmer. The leader of the opposition has more flip-flops than Bournemouth beach." Little applause. Shit line.

Telling as well that it directly contradicted his own message. As part of the gag, he suggested Starmer now accepted Brexit, which contradicted his previous comments.

Devastating from Starmer: "Pre-prepared gags on flip flops... This is the former columnist who wrote two versions of every article ever published.

"In case the PM hasn't noticed, the Labour party is under new management and no front benchers of this party has appeared on Russia Today since I've been leading this party."

Johnson warbling all over the place. Discombobulated.

Johnson really not getting the hang of it at all. Slippery, unwilling to answer a single question, contradicting himself, emotional, irresponsible, divisive.

I kind of want Starmer to fuck something up, just so I can say something critical about him. But at the moment he's nailing it.

I'm going to stick around for the debate on the Russia report after PMS, although I must confess I'm not expecting much from it.

Ben Bradshaw: "By blocking the publication of the Russia report before the election and then trying to fix the committee isn't it abundantly clear that this PM has knowingly and repeatedly put his own personal and party interests before the national security of our country."

Johnson, appalling: "If he thought there was something in the report that showed the Brexit referendum had been undermined by Russia, then he would now be saying it, but that doesn't appear."

That's how it works. That is the process. Make sure you never investigate, because that way they'll never be able to find anything.

The report says the govt made sure not to look at Russian involvement. Johnson now misrepresents that finding - as in the briefing to the Telegraph - as them not having found any Russian involvement.

"What you have here is the rage and fury of the Remainer elite finding that there is in fact nothing in this report. No smoking gun whatsoever after all that froth and fury. And suddenly all those who want to remain in the EU find they have no argument to stand on."

Johnson right back where he feels comfortable: As a nationalist, utilising cultural division to cover up the involvement of a foreign power in our democratic process.

Commons debate on Russian interference starting now. James Brokenshire for the Home Office: "We categorically reject any suggestion the UK actively avoided investigating Russia."

Brokenshire like a man in a regional bank branch regretfully telling you they can't offer you a mortgage.

Nick Thomas-Symonds, Labour shadow home secretary: Report revealed "deep systemic failings in security. Govt took conscious decision "not to look at all".

Hmm. I would love to keep covering this, but it may be impossible. Working from bedroom while missus does a lecture in living room, and the internet is starting to shrivel up and die.

Come on you godawful shitbucket.

Right, we're back. Chris Bryant: "What mystifies me is that govt ministers are still giving out golden visas to dodgy Russian oligarchs. We have to clean up our act and it has to start with the govt."