Boris Johnson has finally signed off a report into Russian interference in the UK which he was accused of blocking during the general election.
Parliament’s intelligence and security committee (ISC) has investigated meddling by Vladimir Putin’s Russia.
The paper is believed to cover Moscow’s alleged efforts to exert influence in the UK through cash donations, political contacts and social media manipulation.
It was carried out amid concerns Putin had launched secret attempts to undermine British elections with online troll factories.
Dominic Grieve, who at the time was chair of the ISC, sent the report to Boris Johnson on October 17 and urged the PM not to “sit on it”.
The prime minister’s official spokesperson has now confirmed Johnson has cleared the report for publication but refused to say when the approval took place.
He said: “In line with his responsibilities under the Justice and Security Act 2013, the prime minister carefully considered the report of the former committee.
“He’s content publication would not prejudice the functions of those bodies that safeguard our national security.
“Publication will be a matter for the new ISC in due course.”
The report is unlikely to be made public until January as Grieve lost his seat at the election and the committee must be reformed.
A new ISC chair and members will be nominated by the PM in consultation with the leader of the opposition and approved by parliamentary vote.
Grieve said: “The fact that he has been able to sanction its publication now shows that in fact it was perfectly possible to sanction its publication before parliament was dissolved in November. The reasons he gave at the time for non-publication were bogus.”