A senior MP has called for the Russian propaganda channel which broadcasts the Alex Salmond Show to be banned.
Former military intelligence officer Tom Tugendhat said RT, the former Russia Today, was a "hostile agent" carrying out "information warfare" on UK soil and that its broadcasting licence should be revoked.
Mr Tugendhat, who chairs the Commons Foreign Affairs Select Committee, singled out Mr Salmond for criticism for working with the channel but stressed Labour and Tory colleagues were also doing so.
Speaking to Anna Foster on BBC Radio 5 Live, he said: “We are seeing now that the leader, the former leader, of one of our principal parties is taking money to appear on a show on a Russian propaganda station….
“I'm sorry to say members of my own party, members of the Labour Party, and now a particularly prominent member of the SNP is doing it.”
Alex Salmond on RT
When asked by Ms Foster if the government should ban MPs from appearing on “that particular network”, he said: “The government actually can't ban Members of Parliament from doing anything.
"It’s one of the great joys of our system that Members of Parliament are independent – totally – from the government. “But the government doesn’t need to accord a licence to broadcast for channels.”
Asked if he would “like to see that licence revoked in the UK”. Mr Tugendhat responded: “I see absolutely no reason why we should allow information warfare to be carried out on UK soil by hostile agents.”
His remarks came amid renewed concerns about Russia following the mysterious illness of a former double-agent and his daughter in Salisbury.
Western governments and political parties - particularly the SNP - have been highly critical of Russia's misinformation effort in recent years. RT and its sister organisation Sputnik have been highlighted in ongoing investigations in to Kremlin interference in elections in the US and Europe.
Mr Tugendhat said: “Fake news is just a polite way of saying information warfare – which is what the Russians have been doing. What the Russians are doing at the moment is they are conducting a 'soft war' against the West and against the United Kingdom.
"And I'm afraid it's time that we woke up and took it seriously, because this is beginning to challenge us. You know, we are seeing this time and time again.”
He continued: “I'm looking for the government to conduct a whole-of-government review on this, because it's no longer enough to look at simply a Foreign Office reaction or a Home Office reaction.
"We've got to look at the whole of Russian activity in the United Kingdom: at investments, at visa allocation, at travel restrictions and so on, and bring it all together. Because actually Russia's actions have become a soft war – as I say – against the United Kingdom, and we must address this.”
Tom Tugendhat
There are those who fear a British ban on RT would provoke Kremlin efforts to prevent the work of the BBC Russian Service, a key source of reliable news across the former Soviet Union.
In December a senior SNP MP - stressing that he was speaking for both his party and the Scottish Government - backed Britain's hardline stance on such channels and drawn a clear line between the mainstream party and Mr Salmond.
West Dunbartonshire's Martin Docherty-Hughes said: "We firmly support the UK Government’s efforts in tackling Russian disinformation and propaganda."
Nicola Sturgeon had previously condemned Mr Salmond's decision toto work with RT, in an unprecedented public rift with her predecessor.
Speaking last year, she said: "I am sure Alex’s show will make interesting viewing – however, his choice of channel would not have been my choice.
"Of course, Alex is not currently an elected politician and is free to do as he wishes – but had I been asked, I would have advised against RT and suggested he seek a different channel to air what I am sure will be an entertaining show.
“Neither myself nor the SNP will shy away from criticising Russian policy when we believe it is merited.”
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