Johnson told to ‘get a grip’ after delayed formation of key security committee
Boris Johnson has been told to “get a grip” over the formation of a key parliamentary committee which scrutinises intelligence bodies and is also responsible for authoring a controversial Russia report.
The committee oversees the policies, expenditure and operations of MI5, MI6, GCHQ and other national security bodies, but has still not reconvened since it was dissolved six months ago at the general election.
Until members of the Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) are approved, the body cannot publish a report believed to cover Moscow’s alleged efforts to exert influence in the UK through cash donations and political contacts.
The Russia document was completed by the committee and passed to No 10 in October after being cleared by security agencies. The prime minister did not provide his approval until after the December election, notifying the report may be published once the new ISC is appointed.
However, the nine members of the committee are ultimately appointed by Mr Johnson based on nominations from the Conservative Party and other political parties at Westminster, and are also vetted by the security services due to the sensitive nature of the information they are given access too.
According to the BBC, opposition parties submitted their nominations months ago, but there remains a lack of clarity on the Tory MP candidates. The Times added that former Conservative cabinet minister Theresa Villiers was blocked by the prime minister from sitting on the committee – delaying its formation.
Labour’s shadow home secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds said: “The delay in ISC meetings is worrying, not least as it is holding up the publication of the Russia report.”
“The government must urgently get a grip, so that the committee can start working again,” he added.
Ian Blackford, the SNP’s Westminster leader and a former member of the ISC committee, told the BBC it was “particularly worrying when the committee’s oversight has become more crucial given the crisis caused by the health pandemic”.
He added: “The foreign secretary publicly warned of these growing security threats, stating that hostile governments are using the challenges thrown up by the global pandemic to take advantage of ‘a perceived opportunity’.”
In response, a Downing Street spokesperson said: “Work to establish the committee is ongoing and as quickly as current circumstances allow, and further announcements will be made in due course.
“The Investigatory Powers Act allows the UK to maintain one of the most stringent security regimes in the world through the Investigatory Powers Commissioner, the Investigatory Powers Tribunal and both executive and judicial oversight”.