LONDON: With just days remaining until Britain’s general election, the country’s deputy prime minister warned on Sunday about the potential influence of hostile state actors, particularly Russia, on the democratic process.
Oliver Dowden expressed concerns over foreign interference following revelations by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that uncovered five Facebook pages disseminating pro-Kremlin narratives. These pages were reportedly promoting support for the hard-right Reform UK party, led by prominent Brexiteer Nigel Farage, who poses a significant challenge to the ruling Conservative Party in the upcoming vote on Thursday.
“There is a threat in all elections, and indeed we see it in this election from hostile state actors seeking to influence the outcome of the election campaign,” Dowden stated in an interview with Sky News.
He described Russia as a prime example of such interference, citing the dissemination of what he termed “relatively typical, low-level stuff” from the Russian playbook.
Farage, known for his admiration of former US President Donald Trump, dismissed claims of Russian interference as “cobblers,” using British slang for nonsense. His party has faced criticism during the campaign, particularly for remarks suggesting that the West provoked Russia’s actions in Ukraine.
Pollsters indicate that Farage’s anti-immigration party could significantly impact the election by diverting votes from Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s Conservative Party, potentially contributing to a landslide victory for the centre-left opposition Labour Party. Despite Labour consistently leading in polls by more than 20 points throughout the campaign, Sunak expressed confidence that he would remain Prime Minister after the election.
“I’m fighting very hard and I think people are waking up to the real danger of what a Labour government means,” Sunak asserted in an interview with the BBC.
Labour, under the leadership of Keir Starmer, received a further boost on Sunday when the influential right-of-centre newspaper, The Sunday Times, endorsed the party. Additionally, music icon Elton John announced his endorsement of Labour, adding to the momentum of Starmer’s campaign.
