Urgent Review on Foreign Interference in UK Politics

eazybee

^Yes. Social media infiltrated and the gullible or susceptible easily duped into believing.^

Indeed I was only reading today this report by The Guardian.

I burst out laughing when I saw this comment and response.

Why?

We are all witnessing how Putin/Trump relationship is impacting on Ukraine. We can now see Trump's true malevolent feelings towards Europe- overt in his recent National Security Strategy alienating not just UK but Europe as allies. Increasingly prevalent Foreign interference is a huge risk we need to contain. Literally a threat to our democracy and survival.

"Friends of Israel" group in our government....lots of MPs in that. I rest my case re foreign interference.

What do you think about the need for an inquiry eazybee? It’s easy to nitpick, but this is serious and far reaching.

Blaise Metreweli has stated that UK (Europe?) sits between war and peace - it really is time to recognise malign interference from Russia through its agents like people they have groomed and algorithms (I haven’t a clue what that entails - but it sounds pretty serious).

Before WW2 there were fifth columnists working in the UK to destabilise the country and influence people toward the regime which we would be defending ourselves against. That is one of the techniques in the portfolios of fascism and dictatorships.

There is no reason to believe that current power-pursuers like Russia, China and Trumpian America have abandoned it. I don't know why Eazybee finds the concept laughable.

I don't know why Eazybee finds the concept laughable.

I think what she finds laughable is people believing what the Guardian says...

100% there are people working to destabilise the U.K., and other countries in Europe, look at those who have already had close working relationships with Russia.

I assume that they are being watched - well I hope so!!

Eazybee has not made clear Elegran, Casdon or WWM2.

Maybe Eazybee just wanted us to know that she just bursts out laughing when someone makes a comment after reading a Guardian newspaper article.

Eazybee seemingly doesn't want to answer poster questions why- her choice.

Also MaizieD- just read your post- I interpreted Eazybee's post that way too....

There have always been foreign agents/business people/etc trying to influence other countries for their own benefit.

Social media has just made it easier.

It would be interesting to know how/if the U.K. government operates in other countries.

As for POTUS dropping Europe and NATO, he has a point we should be able to defend ourselves without relying on the USA.

Russia, China and under the current POTUS the USA use their own playbooks to suit themselves.

GrannyGravy13- do you really believe the UK is interfering in the POLITICS of other countries?

If so in which countries and in what way specifically?

We have direct evidence that Russia and US have and are interfering in UK politics.

I'm not aware of any evidence that UK has/or seeks to interfere in US, Russia or any other country's politics however.

Thinks - I'm now thinking "There's my googling for the day I guess 1. The history of that group in our Parliament (ie those Friends of Israel and seeing who is in it - besides Rachel Reeves - who has admitted she is!!!!) 2. How things were in that respect pre World War 2 (re other countries interfering besides the usual culprit - ie America) 3. What info. I can find tieing in the 1930s Great Depression and the "resurgence" of the economy at around that time courtesy of going onto a war footing (loadsa money to the arms manufacturers etc then).

Finding any objective books and/or videos should be fun - not! - given the victor writes the history books to suit their perception on things. Wishes again that I spoke more than literally a few words of any of the Scandinavian countries - so I could look up what their info. has to say on all this.....(ie best chance of an objective view I can think of).

LemonJam

GrannyGravy13- do you really believe the UK is interfering in the POLITICS of other countries?

If so in which countries and in what way specifically?

That isn’t what I posted LemonJam

The U.K. has an active secret service, and we do not know what, where and why they operate.

A very worthwhile investigation. I hope they consider all political parties and MPs ( even if foreign donations have been declared) and to what extent governmental bodies have been penetrated or compromised as well as deceptive messages on social media from bad actors. Although a March 26 deadline has been set that shoukd merely be an interim report and the work carried on as long as it takes.

Casdon

I’m most concerned about the influences we don’t yet know about. There is obviously a lot going on in the background, or we would not be getting these warnings about threats from Russia. I suspect there will be some big exposures, it is going to be a very difficult time ahead.

It’s not the names that every man and his dog are aware of, it’s those you don’t.

www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/nov/10/mps-to-examine-chinese-state-influence-british-universities

Thanks for your clarification GG13.

It has long been the case that secret services, in most countries gather intelligence about foreign threats, terrorism, cyber atttacks etc.

In light of this post, Casdon, yes I am very concerned about the growing prevalence of foreign interference in UK politics- such interference fundamentally threatens our democracy.

LemonJam

GrannyGravy13- do you really believe the UK is interfering in the POLITICS of other countries?

If so in which countries and in what way specifically?

So you really expect someone to divulge that info if they had the information 😂

An investigation by the Metropolitan Police Counter Terrorism Command led to Reform Nathan Gill being jailed for taking Russian bribes- i.e foreign interference in UK politics.

Thats how the secret services work...

petra

Casdon

I’m most concerned about the influences we don’t yet know about. There is obviously a lot going on in the background, or we would not be getting these warnings about threats from Russia. I suspect there will be some big exposures, it is going to be a very difficult time ahead.

It’s not the names that every man and his dog are aware of, it’s those you don’t.

www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/nov/10/mps-to-examine-chinese-state-influence-british-universities

Definitely more below the surface, than those found on top.

I don't understand what question you are asking of me Petra- sorry.

GG13 has clarified she wasn't posting that she believed the UK was interfering in other countries politics.

CariadAgain

Thinks - I'm now thinking "There's my googling for the day I guess 1. The history of that group in our Parliament (ie those Friends of Israel and seeing who is in it - besides Rachel Reeves - who has admitted she is!!!!) 2. How things were in that respect pre World War 2 (re other countries interfering besides the usual culprit - ie America) 3. What info. I can find tieing in the 1930s Great Depression and the "resurgence" of the economy at around that time courtesy of going onto a war footing (loadsa money to the arms manufacturers etc then).

Finding any objective books and/or videos should be fun - not! - given the victor writes the history books to suit their perception on things. Wishes again that I spoke more than literally a few words of any of the Scandinavian countries - so I could look up what their info. has to say on all this.....(ie best chance of an objective view I can think of).

Get the Google translate app. Problem solved.

GrannyGravy13

petra

Casdon

I’m most concerned about the influences we don’t yet know about. There is obviously a lot going on in the background, or we would not be getting these warnings about threats from Russia. I suspect there will be some big exposures, it is going to be a very difficult time ahead.

It’s not the names that every man and his dog are aware of, it’s those you don’t.

www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/nov/10/mps-to-examine-chinese-state-influence-british-universities

Definitely more below the surface, than those found on top.

Yes, I mentioned the influences of China further up the thread.

I don’t think we should be looking at this issue from our own party political perspective, that is small beer compared with our democratic systems being interfered with by foreign powers. I would support the need for more resources to understand and expose the malevolent influences, I think it is essential to weed them out.