We must see report

Chris Pincher, a Foreign Office minister, drew the short straw on the final day of the current parliament. It fell to him to stand at the Dispatch Box and justify why 10 Downing Street is refusing to publish a report from the Commons Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) into alleged Russian interference in British politics.

It was a difficult task because Mr Pincher was not only under attack from the Opposition, who smell a cover-up, but also from members of the committee, including Dominic Grieve, its chairman, and Keith Simpson. Another Tory, Richard Benyon, said the failure to release the report has allowed conspiracy theories to take wing that would be easily shot down by its publication.

We agree. The report was completed in March and there are no objections from the intelligence services, the Cabinet Office or any foreign powers to its contents being made available. As far as we know, there is no national security issue and none is being claimed by the Government.

Rather, it appears to be a bureaucratic hold-up. Mr Pincher said the report was only received by No 10 on October 17 and because it is the Prime Minister’s duty to consider it in detail that would take time. Mr Johnson, he added, had been preoccupied negotiating a new Brexit deal and grappling with parliament.

But someone in No 10 has taken their eye off the ball. This report is about the legitimacy of our political process and is more relevant now than at any other time. The Government insists it will show nothing untoward, in which case they should get on and publish it. Transparency is the best way to counter conspiracy theories.