Hillary Clinton blasts hidden report on Russian interference in Britain

Hillary Clinton has criticised the ‘shameful’ refusal to publish a report into Russian interference in British politics.

Hillary Clinton in London this week. Picture: AFP

Hillary Clinton has criticised Downing Street’s “inexplicable and shameful” refusal to publish a report into Russian interference in British politics before the election.

The report from the intelligence and security committee of parliament was given security clearance and passed to Downing Street on October 17, but Boris Johnson failed to approve its publication before parliament was dissolved, meaning it cannot be published before the election.

“Every person who votes in this country deserves to see that report before your election happens,” Mrs Clinton said. Her 2016 US presidential campaign was hacked by Russian military intelligence and stolen emails were published by WikiLeaks in the weeks before the election.

“I find it inexplicable that your government will not release a government report about Russian influence,” Mrs Clinton, 72, told BBC radio. “Inexplicable and shameful.”

Dominic Grieve, chairman of the committee during the last parliament, said the report was unlikely to appear before April, when a new committee would have been chosen, if at all.

“It will be a matter for the future committee,” he said. “I would be very seriously disappointed if it didn’t see the light of day.”

Sources told The Times last week that the report contained embarrassing revelations about links between wealthy Russian donors to the Conservative Party and Kremlin intelligence.

Mrs Clinton said the Russians were still “in” her country’s electoral system and “pumping out propaganda”.

“So there’s no doubt of the role that Russia played in our 2016 election and is continuing to play,” she said. “I would hate to see that happen here.”

The Times