LONDON (MNN); The United Kingdom has announced an independent investigation into foreign interference in its political system, following the jailing of former Reform UK lawmaker Nathan Gill for over 10 years for accepting bribes to promote pro-Russia statements.
Steve Reed, UK Secretary of State for Housing, Communities, and Local Government, confirmed on Tuesday that the review had been ordered in response to Gill’s case. “A British politician took bribes to further the interests of the Russian regime. This conduct is a stain on our democracy. The independent review will work to remove that stain,” he said in the House of Commons.
Gill was sentenced on November 21 to 10 years and six months after pleading guilty to accepting thousands of euros from a pro-Russian politician in Ukraine between 2018 and 2019, and delivering scripted statements and media appearances on their behalf.
The case triggered condemnation across the political spectrum, with Reform UK describing Gill’s actions as “reprehensible, treasonous, and unforgivable.”
Conservative MP Paul Holmes welcomed the independent review, emphasizing the need to protect the integrity of elections from foreign influence.
Philip Rycroft, former UK permanent secretary for the Department for Exiting the European Union, will lead the probe. The review will assess financial rules, safeguards, and existing political finance laws, with recommendations due by the end of March.
Reed noted that the UK had earlier introduced a strategy for “modern and secure elections,” but recent events indicate that further evaluation of the country’s safeguards against foreign interference is necessary.
