PMQ: Questions about the Russia Report

Today’s PMQ centered largely on a fiery back-and-forth over the findings of the ‘Russia Report.’ The report was made public on July 21, 2020 by the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament, but was concluded in October of 2019 and made available to the Prime Minister then. 

Leader of the Opposition, Keir Starmer, began by asking the Prime Minister what the UK was to do about the “immediate and urgent threat” Russia poses for to British national security, also questioning why the Prime Minister had not acted sooner. 

Johnson did not address Starmer’s questions, rather calling attention to the Opposition leader’s supposed inaction in 2018 – the year of the Salisbury poisonings – while “the Labour party parroted the line of the Kremlin.” Starmer strongly denied that he had been inactive during this time, imploring that Boris Johnson check the records. 

The Labour leader continued, expressing that report had found that, until recently, the UK had “badly underestimated” the Russian threat and that is was still “playing catchup.” Starmer made clear that the government had “taken its eye off the ball, arguably it wasn’t even on the pitch.” This comment seemed to unsettle the Prime Minister, who went onto say that the Opposition’s questions were “absolutely absurd” and that “There is no country in the Western world that is more vigilant in protecting the interests of this country or the international community from Russian interference.” Johnson then moved to criticise Starmer again, saying that he had “sat on his hands” and not done enough in 2018. 

Starmer did not take this remark lightly. He explained that he was “absolutely clear in condemning what happened in Salisbury [...] Mr Speaker, I spent five years as Director of Public Prosecutions, working on live operations with the security and intelligence services, so I’m not going to take lectures from a Prime Minister about national security.” The tension in the House of Commons was palpable as the PMQ continued. 

The Conservative Prime Minister went on the claim that “Frankly, I think that everybody understands that these criticisms are motivated by a desire to undermine the referendum on the European Union.” Johnson made out that the only reason for Starmer’s criticism was that the Labour leader was hung up on the idea that Russia interfered with the Brexit vote.

In the final moments of their to and fro, Starmer expressed that one thing the report highlights is that an understanding of Russian threat is “being met with a fragmented response across Whitehall,” evidenced no doubt by the proceedings in the Commons today. 

The PMQ then moved into questions from MPs representing various constituencies across the UK.