Committee vote for Russia report to be published

The long-awaited report into alleged Russian interference in the 2017 election and the 2016 Brexit vote is to be published next week.

The newly reinstated Intelligence and Security Committee has voted unanimously for it to be released before Parliament's summer break.

The committee has been very prominent in the news for the last few weeks, culminating in an embarrassing setback for Prime Minister Boris Johnson after Chris Grayling, his pick to lead the committee, was unexpectedly rejected by MPs. Instead, fellow Conservative Julian Lewis was chosen as chair before being kicked out of the parliamentary party for duplicitous behaviour.

The removal of the Tory whip means the Conservatives no longer hold a majority on the committee.

The committee is responsible for oversight of Britain’s spy agencies. The Russia report has been delayed since before last year’s General Election when Johnson refused to clear it for publication. The document examines Kremlin interference in British public life, with many expecting for humiliating details for the Conservative party to be revealed.