“If Ukraine is invaded, the shock will echo around the world” If Boris Johnson thinks Russian aggression is a “shock”, it’s because he suppressed Intelligence & Security Committee’s report on Russian interference & refused to act on its recommendations
In 2016, he blamed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on the EU. He went on to use it as an argument for Britain to leave the European Union inews.co.uk/news/uk/boris-…
In 2018, after the poisoning of Sergei Skripal, NATO called an urgency summit to discuss Russian sanctions. Johnson left it, skipped his security detail & flew to Italy where he met an ex-KGB officer whose son he later ennobled
We can’t separate what Russia is threatening to do in Ukraine with what is going on here. This article kicked off a whole world of trouble for me. And it put Johnson & ministers & advisors at heart of Russian influence op theguardian.com/politics/2017/…
And then there’s the money. So much money.
‘One of the most surprising guests was Vladimir Putin’s judo partner, Vasily Shestakov..who had been tasked with improving Russia’s reputation in the UK’
Yay! Finally a trend we need. Knuckledusters are now a THING. The amazing Hannah designed these after seeing off a stalker. I wore them to do battle in the High Court. Today featured in @thesundaytimes. For women who punch up… thetimes.co.uk/article/bold-i…
Hannah kitted out not just me but a whole battalion of my female friends who came to court. Back story here…
There is a war on information that Putin’s winning. By exploiting the malign incentives of social media, the competitive nature of news orgs & in Britain, the compromising effects of decades of dirty money. A potential war in Europe is just one of results. And maybe not the worst
This is not a joke. And Putin’s malign & corrupting influence in our politics, elections & public life is not joke either. Yet *still* being treated like one. And that’s why lack of curiosity about latest moves by biggest funder of Brexit boggles my mind
This is nuts. Even for Banks. Eldon Insurance & LeaveEU brought this appeal against the Information Commissioner. Then didn’t show up.
Also: curious dates. My libel trial ended Jan 21. 5 days later Banks’s solicitors @kingsleynapley ‘came off record’
Mr Jacobus Coetzee, the named director of LeaveEU who failed to show up to court, is an old associate of Arron Banks. On this exciting page of ‘Bad Boys of Brexit’ featuring all the greats inc Andrew Neil & the Russian ambassador, he describes him as a ‘South African spook’.
Vote Leave broke the law. Deliberately & spectacularly.
Met investigation dropped without explanation.
Russia Report revealed grotesque national security failure.
He came to power on a *mandate* of breaking the law. It’s idea we should be shocked by any of this that’s shocking
Facebook in 2016 was a global threat surface.
Elections in Philippines, UK & US attacked by domestic & foreign bad actors.
In Britain, one of these bad actors was the man who’s now PM.
His investment in the cover-up of his own campaign has led to a cascade of catastrophes
The lies are the point. They brought him to power. The entitlement to break the law was baked in. Because that’s what cover-ups do. And that’s what Boris Johnson did.
And it’s why the institutions failed us so spectacularly post-2016: the Met, the NCA, the intelligence services.
The idea Boris Johnson has the ability, desire or moral leadership to ‘stand up to Vladimir Putin’ is utterly absurd. This is the man who personally suppressed Russia Report, who refuses to investigate foreign interference in our elections & who ennobled the son of a KGB officer
There’s so much absurdity in his speech, but don’t overlook this. Boris Johnson is knee deep in Kremlin cash & everything about the Russia Report was a national security disgrace & disaster. 2/
This is Hannah. My amazing, beautiful, STRONG stepdaughter.
I’ve taken on power. And what’s happened to me is result of that choice. But for some women - like Hannah - there’s no choice. This 🧵= little bit of how she was targeted, hacked, stalked. And came back stronger. 1/
Hannah was harassed over months & years. The Met police refused to take seriously. Refused to investigate. They finally did when they appeared to acknowledged there was a risk to life. Her stalker was stopped & detained at Heathrow. And then let go. 2/
In 2018, Hannah learned that her friend from school, Alice Ruggles, had also been stalked. She’d also reported it to the police. She’d also not been believed. And then she was murdered. 3/