Dear John,
The recent indictment of a US media company for taking $10 million from Russian state media to influence the US Presidential election has shown how the City of London’s inadequate regulatory environment is facilitating political interference overseas, something the government needs to address urgently.
In a shocking revelation, the US Justice Department showed how Putin’s puppet media in Russia established a clandestine operation to produce and distribute online videos promoting Russian interests and viewpoints, particularly in relation to the Ukraine conflict.
The videos, shared across various social media platforms and reaching millions of viewers, are believed to be part of a broader Russian strategy to sway the upcoming 2024 US presidential election by manipulating public opinion through seemingly independent American voices.
Although the story broke in the US, its roots are here in the UK. The revelation that the $10 million was funnelled through a UK shell company shows how Britain has become a global hub for political interference. Our lax regulations aren't just a domestic problem; they're a threat to democracies worldwide.
The scale of the operation uncovered is staggering. Nearly 2,000 videos were posted, garnering over 16 million views on YouTube alone. More alarming still is the sheer audacity of this disinformation campaign. In one instance, Russian state media requested a video blaming Ukraine and the US for a Moscow shooting, despite ISIS claiming responsibility.
What's particularly chilling is how this operation ensnared high-profile right-wing US influencers like Tim Pool, Dave Rubin, and Benny Johnson. These figures, with millions of followers, now claim they were unwitting "victims" of this scheme. If such prominent voices can be unknowingly coopted, what hope do ordinary citizens have of discerning truth from propaganda?
Open Britain supporters will appreciate one of the deepest ironies in this, one connected to our old nemesis, Boris Johnson. While BoJo was seeking to distract from Russian interference by burying the Intelligence and Security Committee's 2020 report on Russian interference in UK democracy, our financial system was being exploited as a conduit for the very interference he sought to downplay.
This wilful ignorance has left us dangerously exposed. We simply don't know the full extent of foreign meddling in UK elections. What other dark arts are at play, hidden behind the veil of our opaque financial system?
For years, Open Britain has sounded the alarm about the pernicious role of unmonitored shell companies in our politics. These shadowy entities aren't just a loophole; they're a gaping chasm in our democratic defences, inviting malevolent actors from around the globe to subvert our political process.
The implications are chilling. If Russian state media can so easily manipulate public opinion in the US through UK-based financial chicanery, what's stopping them – or any other hostile foreign power – from doing the same here? Our broken transparency laws aren't just a national security risk; they're a direct threat to the integrity of our democracy.
While the US government has moved quickly to address the immediate danger - seizing Kremlin-run websites and charging Russian state media employees – it's clear that this is a global problem requiring coordinated international action. The UK, as a key financial hub, has a crucial role to play in closing these dangerous loopholes.
The time for half-measures and wilful blindness is over. We must start putting pressure on our government to act. Our democracy is not for sale. It's time we stopped acting as if it were.
