Reinstating intelligence watchdog ‘could bring Russia report nearer’

A LONG-DELAYED report into allegations of Russian interference into UK politics will come closer to publication when MPs vote next week to re-establish Parliament’s intelligence watchdog.

Opposition parties have accused the Government of dodging scrutiny by failing to set up the Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC), which has not met for more than six months.

But Downing Street said yesterday that the candidates for the committee which oversees the intelligence, community, have been drawn up and Parliament will be asked to approve it.

MPs will be asked to approve a motion confirming the ISC’s new membership on Monday, ahead of a similar procedure in the Lords on Tuesday. Politicians from across the spectrum, including Conservative former Cabinet member and Haltemprice and Howden MP David Davis, inset, had urged the Government to allow the ISC to reform to publish the report.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “The publication will be a matter for the new committee but we will encourage them to publish it as soon as possible.”

The Commons petitions committee wrote to the PM last week urging him to set up the ISC after “extensive delays” and a petition calling for the move received over 100,000 signatures.

Mr Davis previously said that there was “no acceptable reason for further delay” and said the Government “needs to remember that parliamentary accountability is not an optional extra”.

The PM is believed to have lined up former Cabinet Minister Chris Grayling, who has been dubbed “failing Grayling” for his involvement in numerous controversies, to chair the ISC.

Downing Street has previously been accused of acting “irresponsibly” in failing to set up the body, which has not sat since before the December election.

In levelling his criticism, Liberal Democrat Lord Campbell of Pittenweem argued the Government had “deliberately and improperly suppressed” the release of the document to avoid embarrassment during the campaign.

However, rejecting this, Cabinet Office Minister Lord True said the peer’s “wild charges” were “wholly unfounded”.