Starmer orders urgent foreign interference scale review in British politics
Photo: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has initiated an urgent review of the scale of foreign interference in British politics amid preparations for legislative changes aimed at tightening rules on political donations, according to Sky News.
The UK government has launched an accelerated review of existing financial regulations governing political donations and the protection of electoral processes. The report is expected to be presented by the end of March.
The review will be led by Philip Rycroft, a former permanent secretary of the Department for Brexit. According to officials, he is tasked with assessing the effectiveness of the current rules and proposing potential changes. The full report is expected to be made public.
Background
The decision to initiate the review follows the conviction of Nathan Gill, the former leader of Reform UK in Wales. He admitted to receiving tens of thousands of pounds in cash in exchange for promoting pro-Russian narratives in the media and in the European Parliament. Law enforcement authorities said that some individuals involved in the case may have had direct links to Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin.
The initiative was announced in the House of Commons by Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government Steve Reed. He described Gill’s actions as "a stain on British democracy" and said the independent review should address vulnerabilities in the political financing system.
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