Thread by @carolecadwalla

NEW: Boris Johnson awards Gavin Williamson a knighthood.

Why *now*? In middle of Russian crisis?

He was appointed defence secretary in Nov 2017 at exact moment, FBI revealed its Trump-Russia investigation began in London.

Is this relevant?
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theguardian.com/politics/2022/…

Williamson was appointed Sec for Defence on Nov 2 2017. Days after FBI revealed it was investigating suspected Russian assets/agents operating in London. Some of these had met Foreign Office officials. These including Johnson, then Foreign Secretary
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theguardian.com/politics/2017/…

Joseph Mifsud, the Maltese professor, was just one of these. Johnson denied meeting him until a photo emerged. Mifsud subsequently vanished without trace.

Days later, Theresa May made her landmark speech: "Russia we know what what you are doing"
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I wrote about the Russian connections to Brexit & Conservative party which unleashed a world of trouble.

Meanwhile, Isabel Oakeshott had a tip off. A person "high up in govt" with intelligence connections rang Richard Tice who passed it on to her.
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theguardian.com/politics/2017/…

This call prompted Isabel Oakeshott to go back into the Banks emails. And make a shock discovery.

This statement has not previously been published.

In it, she says: "I have no doubt that Banks & Wigmore have been acting as agents of influence of the Russian state"
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Under cross-examination, I had to explain how I obtained the emails. It's a matter of court record - & therefore reportable - that source believed that person who tipped off Tice about Banks's Russian connections was...drum roll...Gavin Williamson, then sec of defence
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Oakeshott gave the emails and this statement to the Sunday Times.

This is new & has not been previously published.

It's a letter from Sunday Times editor on Nov 17, 2017 to Oakeshott indemnifying her in event of legal action from publishing Arron Banks/Russia emails
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I don't know what happened & why Sunday Times didn't publish until 8 months later when @peterjukes & I bumped them into it. But kudos to Oakeshott for saying she couldn't stand by while LeaveEU attacked journalists & MPs who'd questioned Russia's role in UK politics
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On Nov 14, 2017, Theresa May called out Putin in strongest possible terms. A landmark moment. First time, UK govt acknowledged Russia's attack on our democracy.

But what else was happening inside the cabinet?
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bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politi…

We don't know.

We do know FBI's investigation came to London. We know that key individuals & organisations were based here.

We know Johnson was knee deep in Russian connections & money.

We do know Theresa May tried to call out the threat.
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Was there disagreement within cabinet on what to do with new public info about Russia?

Williamson - it's claimed - tipped off Tice & Oakeshott.

May made her speech.

And Johnson? He said he'd seen "not a sausage"

UK connections to Mueller investigation were buried.

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So. Is it curious Johnson gives knighthood to Williamson now? Aren't there bigger things going on in world?

I don't know. But I can't publish in Observer because it involves Banks. News International involved. Indie & Standard owned by son of KGB spy.

So putting it here.
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Final weird oddity. The article I wrote at that time on Russian connections to Brexit includes Johnson's relationship with Russian "diplomat" Sergey Nalobin. He ran an influence op targeting Conservative MPs.

The details are curious.

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theguardian.com/politics/2017/…

I've just remembered this and further details about Gavin Williamson tipping off Tice & Oakeshott about Banks's Russian connections is actually in my witness statement.

Again, this is a matter of court record & is fully reportable. It just wasn't reported anywhere.
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This is not ideal way to publish & I invite @TiceRichard, @IsabelOakeshott & @GavinWilliamson a right to reply & will add here.

But no mainstream outlet covered trial other than @guardian. And significant new evidence went unreported.

That can & should be in public domain.
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