THE SNP has turned up the heat on the UK Government, demanding it publish a secret intelligence report on Russian interference into British politics, saying its “continued suppression is unjustifiable and poses a serious threat to our democracy”.
The move by the Nationalists came as it was claimed nine Russian business people, who donated money to the Tories, are named in the dossier.
The UK Government has insisted the Commons Intelligence and Security Committee[ISC] report had to go through due process and could not be produced because of the “machinery of Government” during the election campaign.
But this has been roundly dismissed by political opponents and others.
Dominic Grieve, the committee Chairman, has accused the Government of "sitting on the report," pointing out how it had been sent to Boris Johnson for approval as long ago as October 17.
Last week, Labour’s Emily Thornberry dismissed the delay as “utterly unjustifiable, unprecedented and clearly politically motivated”.
But Dominic Raab, the Foreign Secretary, hit back, denying the suggestion Downing St was “in the grip of a Kremlin mole”.
Meanwhile, Lord Butler, the former Cabinet Secretary, and Lord Ricketts, a former National Security Adviser, both dismissed the Government response that more time was needed to redact information.
Last night, Stewart McDonald, the SNP’s defence spokesman, said: “Boris Johnson’s continued suppression of this report is unjustifiable and poses a serious threat to our democracy.
“What are the Tories so worried about? With a General Election just over a month away, voters deserve to know the findings of the report and the impact of illicit Russian activities on our electoral process.
“The longer Boris Johnson delays the publication of this report, the more people will start to think this clamp down is politically motivated,” he added.
Earlier, Sajid Javid, the Chancellor, insisted the report’s publication had been “timed out because of the election” while his Cabinet colleague Grant Shapps put down the delay to the "machinery of government".
The Transport Secretary pointed out during an election campaign so-called purdah rules applied, which meant the Government was "not allowed to publish things which are seen as controversial in any way".
Mr Shapps admitted he was "not close" to the report but said he believed its delay was "just the usual way that purdah works".
Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live's Pienaar's Politics, he explained: "I wanted to publish some very trivial information, which was certainly not of any great, huge public interest, and I was blocked from doing so by the civil service machine because, come an election, you are not allowed to, into purdah, publish things which are seen as controversial in any way.
"So, I suspect it's just the machinery of government," he added.
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