Thread by @ruchirsharma_1

Not so fun when it happens to you, is it?

"The threat comes not from traditional espionage - undercover agents stealing secrets from governments - but from people who wield influence to serve the agenda of foreign governments without being open about it"

bbc.com/news/uk-563489…

"He said the US, unlike the UK, had the tools in the form of legislation to go after those secretly working on behalf of foreign nations."

"There's a lack of transparency in Britain about the way in which foreign actors...are exerting influence over our policies," said Mr Steele

"Mr Steele argued that individuals working on behalf of foreign states should be required to register.

This included PR companies, lobbyists, law firms and even, Steele acknowledged, private intelligence companies ... if they carried out work on behalf of foreign governments."

"Mr Steele also thinks the definition of foreign agents needs to be broadly drawn to capture influence in areas like academia and the media - although he believes government and politics remain the top targets."

"When you talk about foreign agents in this instance you are not talking about people who are committing treason or selling secrets to the Russians or Chinese. You are talking about their agents, in the sense of people who are pursuing their agenda in the UK for money," he said.

"The Home Office said the government would introduce a foreign agent registration scheme "as part of forthcoming legislation to counter hostile activity by states".

"This follows consideration of similar laws in like-minded countries including the US and Australia," it added."