MI6 expert on Boris Johnson, Alexander Lebedev and the UK's Russia problem | New Statesman
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- čas přidán 20. 08. 2024
- Boris Johnson has finally admitted he met former KGB agent Alexander Lebedev in private while Foreign Secretary. Christopher Steele, former M16 agent and author of the famous "Trump Dossier", tells the New Statesman what the security risks are for the United Kingdom.
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The day before Boris Johnson agreed to step down as Prime Minister (after more than 50 members of his government had resigned), he admitted to the Liaison Committee something that had been long suspected: while he was Foreign Secretary he had met privately with former KGB agent and Russian oligarch Alexander Lebedev, without security or aides.
In this video interview, former MI6 agent and intelligence expert Christopher Steele explains why the off-books meeting between Johnson and Lebedev poses a security risk to the UK, and what it tells us about the influence of Russia and Vladimir Putin at the highest levels of UK government.
Boris Johnson is also friends with Alexander Lebedev's son, Evgeny Lebedev. The younger Lebedev is the proprietor of the London Evening Standard and Independent newspapers, and in 2020 was nominated for a seat in the House of Lords by none other than Boris Johnson. Here Steele also discusses the influence his peerage might allow Lord Lebedev to exert, and the types of intelligence it would give him access to.
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Christopher Steele was an MI6 intelligence operative, who ran the Russia desk at the MI6 London headquarters. During the 2016 US presidential elections Steele become notorious for compiling a dossier which claimed that Russia had compiled a file of compromising information on Donald Trump. This became known as the "Trump dossier".
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Johnson should be in court for his wrong doings. He's a disgrace.
He should be tried for treason.
The Commons Privileges Committee is presently investigating that he deliberately lied to Parliament over the Partygate affair and will reach a conclusion in a few months time. That could lead to suspension from Parliament, a recall vote in his constituency and a by-election which could see him losing his seat.
I have a much shorter word in mind.
Prison not court.
He is a traitor.
Imagine the reaction if a Labour politician had behaved like this.
Apparently if you believe the Murdochracy Jeremy Corbyn did.
Our foreign-owned media are largely Tory-supporting.
It'd be shouted from the rooftops and would be on the front page of the rags for weeks on end until the individual was run out of politics. But its apparently perfectly fine behavior if you're one of the old boys. Makes me sick.
The right wing readers of the right wing press would be apoplectic and would have overwhelmed the NHS
Imagine if this was Jeremy Corbyn..... He would have been hung and quartered as soon as a whiff of this story came out.
My question is what the hell MI5 and MI6 shave been doing this past 12 years? Their remit is to protect Britain. Have they been complacent or complicit? It’s astonishing.
Only so much they can do when their Bosses are in love with Russian Oligarchs money
Steele is a corrupt fantastist
People were worried about Corbyn possibly having, ‘Strange’ friends. Could it be that there those who are closer and have more to offer to those, ‘Strange’ friends ?
Secret service report to the govt. If May said don't look for signs of Russian meddling in the referendum or the general election then there would be no reports. One can then honestly say that I have seen no reports of evidence of foreign interference in our elections. It's a bit like the Met sending Johnson only one questionnaire about all the documented "gatherings". The outcome was only one fine and no investigation of the party in the flat nor anything else.
They were doing their job, the government at the time had tied their hands behind their back and were hamstringing them, i e the tory party, money was more important than national security. Look at the tory party 12 to 15 year ago 28 mill in the red now 25 bill in the black, most of it Russian money
At the very beginning Johnson’s asked ‘ when you were Foreign Secretary did you meet Lebedev ‘ he said I think I did , he immediately should have been investigated by as many people as possible , it was all over the news about his returning from a Party/event held by Lebedev, The Foreign Secretary is not allowed to answer a serious question with flippancy and evasion in such fashion !
"I think I did, I I I I I....... [ goes to make a cup of tea ] I I I I I I I I I I I I " this PM is faulty lol
If you watch that clip again, you can cleatly se the civil servant behind him scribbling on his notepad and passing the paper to Johnson. Other camera angles reveal the note to say "STOP TALKING" as he is dangerously close to incriminating himself.
Watching the son of the Russian KGB colonel swearing allegiance to the Queen wearing house of Lords regalia I bcame dimly aware of the whirring sound made by John Le Carré spinning wildly in his grave 😲
As a fellow Le Carré fan, I couldn't agree more. What a pity the great man isn't still around to comment.
The British have a very short and selective memory. This whole brexit/post brexit world has lifted the view and revealed the utter ignorance of the great British public.
If this happened in the Cold War, it would of brought the government down. The keys to castle handed to the KGB. We live in a kakocracy. Perhaps if we view it through the lens of the coming collapse it makes more sense. They don’t care anymore, they are simply feathering their nests and to hell with the plebs. Very concerning times.
@@paulkirkland3263 He may not be: I am, and right now, Braver man than I am, Gunga Din.
Not hard to infiltrate when the government are the types of people who are fine with negligence and corruption. This is why we need a real government who actually value and respect our country and political system in the best way. The incompetence that comes with dodgy leadership leads to serious consequences and for that reason any sign of a dodgy government/dodgy pm should open the door to a process for them being sacked by the people, forget waiting for them to resign.
The problem is nobody with that CV wants the job. I have, but no thank you. I've cleared some similar-sized messes in my time (Albania 97, Oxus 2000, Malta) but this will be in the teeth of most of the Establishment. They have to be torn down first, so let the crash happen.
The hollowing out of Britain.
For sure. Where do the rest of us the unbought go from here?
It's not merely Lebedev, Père et Fils, it's also worth recalling Dominic Cummings, architect of the Vote Leave campaign, lived in Russia for three years.
The horror of it.
And that Mandelson let him loose in the first place. We really need David Davis at the head of his Regiment to pull a Cromwell.
The more one learns about him the more Johnson appears to be an asset of some sort, exactly to whom is less clear.
If you believe a word Daniel Steel spouts , you need certified as a danger to commonsense
Quite clear to most of us, chum....
@@bigbinji6145 interesting response and automatic assumption, I might have meant he was an asset to the Conservatives! Johnson himself confirmed a meeting in Italy, having left his security detail behind, where a known KGB agent was present. This was just after discussions re the poisoning in Salisbury. When pressed Johnson's response was along the lines that he couldn't remember whether any govt business was discussed... not being able to remember... Hard to put a positive spin on that.
Russian oligarchs and murdoch
Certainly not to the uk
Why is a Russian in the House of Lords it’s scary and totally disgusting get him out now
Especially when he's the son of a "former" KGB colonel. Children of spies are often recruited as they are essentially vetted by family.
He paid Murderclown for the privilege
Boris Johnson should no longer be involved in any level of British politics. If the Commons Privileges Committee finds in a few months time that he lied to Parliament over the Partygate affair, then he could be suspended from the House of Commons. The Speaker has ruled such a serious suspension would allow voters in his Uxbridge and South Ruislip constituency to press for a by-election there. His majority is not huge, and he could well lose the seat.
Here's hoping.
Bottom line, he's a traitor. No ifs, buts or maybes. Traitor. He should be dealt with accordingly.
Could Boris be used in a prisoner exchange with Russia?
No a prefer he was put in Wakefield prison for being a traitor..
So its all just boris's fault. Lets all just forget the entire conservative party's complicity in this
Of course they are but he is the prime mover. He is the one who met them, who emerged dishevelled and bewildered the morning after the Italian party -blackmailed no doubt,and it’s he who elevated the spies son to the House of Lords. Somewhat more involved than the rest wouldnt you say?
You’re right of course. For several years he has been surrounded by toadies willing to lie for him, excuse him and make excuses for him, to trivialise his many catastrophic blunders and to work to keep him in his job. To lie in politics has in the past meant instant resignation, but Johnson has made it an acceptable daily pastime, and all his cronies do the same of course. To consort with the Russians in the past meant instant dismissal and total disgrace - the Christine Keeler case for example was a national scandal. But for Johnson getting half cut at a kgb agents party is a ‘well I might have done’ occasion that is completely un-noteworthy, and his sycophants are all ok with that. Very frightening.
But beware - Truss is at least as dangerous.
Boris Johnson, “the spy who came in from the pub crawl “
They're still running our show. Hence Truss.
He's a security risk and corrupt to the core
Why am I not surprised?
and you believe a word Mr Steele says ? Are you absolutely off your trolley ?
@@UKRO404 Mr Steele has effectively lost any shred of credibility he had by conspiring with the Clinton campaign to concoct a tissue of lies and smears in the Russiagate nonsense.
Deeply disturbing.
Why have the Tories made a Russian Spy a Peer in the HoL... This far outweighs anything from the days of Profumo.
Now you know why he is called Boris 😜
Exactly
short for borisovich...
The only "ex" KGB Agent is one who is no longer breathing.
Nice to see the New Statesman finally reporting on this YEAR'S OLD story !, Funny how it's only after Johnson got the boot this becomes an issue!!!!!!
It’s been an issue all along and there have been many rumblings from security services and some papers .
@@Lynnefromlyn yet they lie to us about Putin & the CIA make a mockery of them. Doesn't bode well for the future of public vs government relations when they just chat sh1t, does it?
Pointing out the door is open after the horse has bolted!
Ogri biker……Johnsons weekend in Italy when Foreign Secretary has been reported repeatedly in the U.K. press for years. The New Statesman reporting only now includes the views of MI6……that’s the difference.
Trump - Putin - Helsinki
Johnson - Lebedev - Perugia
Both of the leaders of the two most powerful members of NATO have questions to answer.
Any serving officer would be facing a court matial if they behaved like this.
We also had Brexit soon after and Boris was helped.
Waht's a cuort matiaal?
Trump's son Eric is on camera announcing proudly, "We get our money from Russia."
And your point is?
My pension fund could say the same - I'm sure yours does too. Also, I need context for that alleged statement.
You are seeing what you want to see. Where is the evidence for Trump's collusion with Russia and why isn't this mass delusion of people, who always lecture us on reason, not derided as a crackpot conspiracy theory? There seems to be an odd double standard at work here and you cannot fail to miss it if you're being reasonable.
@@damianbylightning6823 A military court that judges people using military,, not civil law.
Looks like there`s more to Johnson than what was known and what were the MI5 and MI6 doing while he was doing all this and then the Tories made him PM, christ you couldn`t write the script.
Johnson the liar just helping his chums the KGB
When contemplating the Johnson/Tory/Russian relationship, disgusting and depressing as it is, not a bad idea to remember the words of Donald Rumsfeld: _There are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns - the ones we don't know we don't know._
Yes, a much mocked but much misunderstood truism.
Let's hope the truth comes out about his Russian friends ,
What? Rich people doing anything at all to get even richer? Really?
whodathunkit
Kremlin influence in the Conservative Party runs very deep. It's not just Johnson although he's obviously the most significant
Probably explains the pained expressions on his face sometimes. It's not what he's doing to the plebs, it's what America keeps telling him to do?
The party’s treasurer, who is Israeli, has an awful lot of Russian friends too!
how is that possible when to be the Kremlin when the Oligarchs was on the run from Russia with arrest warrants & given sanctuary in the UK , look deeper past the uk propaganda
Effing laugh out loud at all those Brexit voters who voted Conservative in 2019 thinking the likes of Johnson had their interests at heart. Laugh out loud.
The most corrupt government in living memory , and brazen about it ,
this is easily answered it's MONEY FOR THE TORIES!!!!
No smoke without fire. Still holds good.
Why isn't special branch, Mi5 and MI6 and Military intelligence doing anything about this, even if its innuendo can any risks be taken here? Who else in govnt has had active contacts with foreign powers?
It's definitely changed since the 80s where any infringement or any suspected infringement of the OSA would result in a visit from some very scarry people...or is this just a fantasy ?
Priti Patel met with the israeli government behind Theresa Mays governments back. May fired her to May’s credit but here she is now infringing on your rights to protest.
@@patrickschutz4269 was gonna mention AIPAC, most politicians are "friends" of Israel (Kerching!), they have something over America too, some kind of unholy triangle, that.
@@patrickschutz4269 Funny that Israel refuses to join any sanctions of Russia ...
MI5 and MI6 are "military intelligence". That's what 'MI' stands for.
@@patrickschutz4269 And, of course, who was Patel's boss as foreign secretary at the time? Why, none other than Bozo the Clown himself.
The vast majority of corporate bourgeois media has dampened coverage of this, presumably deliberately. This renders them de facto assets of Russian intelligence themselves.
Imagine a whiff of this in a Labour MP.
I feel Johnson has been in their influence and has financially benifited
even the new statesman is twisting the knife into bozo now...what a time to be alive
That naughty schoolboy look he gives, when someone muses that he might be a criminal, & he's like, "don't you know I'm a criminal!?" 😂
can we have a Ruexit?
this would have been the best ever james bond movie
Who's the guy writing a note + giving it to Johnson in the select committee? (a lawyer telling him what to say?)
A lawyer telling him to shut up and not say anything else
Dear Boris, I love you, ❤❤❤ yours, Vladimir xxxxx
i had to freeze the still of Johnston and lebedev shaking hands the spider and the fly
As all criminals , he does not remember. What a shock !
This is so dodgy
The concerning thing is. He is best the Tories have got. What does that do for the future of this country. If they are allowed to continue Governing.
I'm just not sure if Britain is sold out to Putin's Russia or if it's a case of an Indian Raj in Britain or a bit of both. Either way, it doesn't look good for the island.
3.49 - Look at Johnson's legal adviser's reaction and frantic note writing. Johnson was beginning to open up.
Is Evgeny a British citizen? Can foreign nationals, awarded British citizenship, be given peerages or other titles? Can Evgeny’s title be withdrawn? What background checks were done before he’s given security clearance at any level?
''In some ways she was far more acute than Winston, and far less susceptible
to Party propaganda. Once when he happened in some connexion to mention
the war against Eurasia, she startled him by saying casually that in her opinion
the war was not happening. The rocket bombs which fell daily on London
were probably fired by the Government of Oceania itself, ’just to keep people
frightened’. This was an idea that had literally never occurred to him.'' (1984)
There would seem to be a very good case for an investigation here into possible offences under the Official Secrets Act. These carry a bit more severe penalty than a £100 fine, Bodge Job could be looking at some serious jail time here. It's no defence to plead "I was so drunk I didn't know what I was saying".
And what's this nonsense about an 'Ex-KGB Agent"? KGB agents who show any signs of going against their former masters end up with a visit from a man with polonium tea or a nice dose of nerve agent.
I’m now wondering whether we might need to follow the USA example, and have BoJo’s properties searched for classified documents.
FOR SALE: House of Lords' seats. Call Boris. Cash only.
Boris and Mogg should be in prison
Interesting how all our traitors have come through the public school system? From Philby to potentially Johnson. Boy! Have we ever been taken for a ride?
Never has been, never will be an EX KGB Agent.
Philby, Burgess, McLean, Blunt, Johnson 🤷♂️. I think we know where the traitors come from, Eton, Oxford and Cambridge 🤷♂️
the most scandalous thing about this video is the audio management
Johnson is up to his ears in sleaze
Led by traitors.
Apologies for my ignorance (I am not British), but would it be possible at all to remove Lord Lebedev from the Upper House? Thanks in advance for any help (not for hate speech though)...
We're hoping for a general election and Labour government that will abolish the unelected house of lords.
More scrutiny is directed at disabled people who have paid tax, were born here and who's parents arent confirmed enemies lol. The biggest threat isn't coming from 'young men' on boats at Dover, its the old ones who come by Private Jet.
What do you know about the boat people?
Very cosy, Boris.
Newsnight'll be putting a Russian hat on Boris next.. !
Don't be ridiculous the BBC are the propergander wing of the tory Party!!
Life is way too short to play such horrible games with people's lives. Shame on such Horrible Greedy Monsters
Johnson and his wife spotted in Slovenia cycling, staying at posh hotel a late wedding ceremony Angela Rayner is also there and Johnson has 6 bodyguards
What the hell is wrong with Britain? (I mean Tory Britain🤦♂️)
You have to hand it to Rishi for causing that man to be forced to resign. There are so many evil and underhand things he has done that every day he remains in office is another day where he can do damage.
None of them should be allowed to damage us any more. After what Susnake is reported to have said. Despicable git.
You believe Sunak would be any better? I think not.
Mick lynch for PM!
@@davidpowell6098 you need to see the reverse robin hood clip of him. It just makes you realise the sad choice between the dumb and the brain dead who will be in charge of the UK next...
Don't suppose you have seen the interviews recently posted on You Tube? Or TV?
Do you personally think that Mr Sunak is an honest person? Are you aware that the former minister for financial fraud resigned stating that £29 billion per year was "missing" and fraudulently paid, due to a childish and intolerable attitude from the dept Mr Sunak is the cheif?
Are you aware that he wrote off £4.9billion in the biggest cash scam by a govnt paying billions and billions to unexisting companies where 0 due diligence and an apathetic and nonchalant attitude from the treasury in any investigations? ...is this the man you want as PM ?
Ref: Lord Agnew resignation speech house of lords Jan 2022 it's even on
You Tube
Peter
This country is an absolute disgrace, what comes this way for you that allowed this will be Swift and just...
What's he saying, you cant trust Boris the PM, then who can you trust, to do the right thing, i think Boris, is on the side of the Queen, and country, Fancy changing him for Truss or Sunak, there is no Contest, Boris wins hands down
He is so blatantly guilty
Apparently Bozo Johnson is away on holiday…………… How would anyone know ? 🙄
What is wrong with our leaders?
Terrible situation
This the same MI6 that says Russia is losing the war and running out of ammo, please ask the Ukrainians about this
How it looks is how it is.
Johnson only exists in the way that he does because large numbers of the UK electorate find him attractive. It makes one despair for the UK political system that such a bumbling man managed to find his way to the top.
Bojob family is Turkish by ancestry on his grand fathers side Ali Kamal changed the family name from Kamal to Johnson to fit into English society a bit like what Robert Maxwell did he thought the name Maxwell was a nice name!
Commenting from Ireland......why are the British people SO dim, could ye not all see what was coming down the tracks??? I lived in London for 30 years...always voted Labour ......yet admired Conservative politicians with gravitas like Michael Heseltine et al, nothing like this cohort...a complete disgrace to their country and party. NOTE, country over party.
Greed. Conservative Party. Greed. Conservative Party. Greed. Conservative Party. Greed. Conservative Party.
One day people will look back and realise the crimes of sovereignty.
Why is this not being seriously highlighted and investigated.. Johnson is a criminal end of!!! Selective memory😡😡😡
Ex-KGB? Do they ever become Ex? Do British intelligence officers ever become Ex? Hmmmmmmm
Their children are perfect recruits, it's already in the family and they've been trained since birth on how to behave.
Putin said there's no such thing as ex KGB
National security be damned
He should be bound over for treason and/or sedition.
This over grown toddler should never have been given the keys to the car
I dont think bojo is kjb, but he looks like a young Dmitry Ustinov, the USSR defence minister.
the official behind de Pfeffle who passed him the note at 7:17 - the note apparently read "stop talking"
I couldn't hear the intro for the daft music, and closed captions are not available. DUH.
Unadulterated greed drives the British Establishment in its dealings with the kleptocratic Russian Establishment
Is anyone DOING anything about this???
Do we still prosecute for treason?
Why on earth are so many British voters so gullible??
Cos I believe deep down they still believe those in positions of power are their betters. If they speak with a posh accent went to Eton Cambridge or Oxford all the more reason to for into that antiquated belief. If working men still wore hats, I'm sure they'd 'doff' them and women would curtsey🤬🤬🤬
How the hell is this and the tortoise Londongrad podcast and everything related to it not plastered EVERYWHERE
The problem is the toilet mop. Others do what they have to.
Just look at him LOOK!!!!!
Money!
Get this guy out of the lords immediately.
TRUMP + BORIS same
Who is interested in what this man has to say? I'm not, for one...
We understand, the truth is often best ignored for one's peace of mind ...
@@wiregold8930 spoken by a pseudonym - bet you don't see the irony...
4:00 Being told to shut up before he implicates himself more.