National Security (State Threats) Bill

Kim Johnson Excerpts

Consideration of Lords amendments
Monday 6th July 2026 Commons Chamber

[Dame Angela Eagle]

The first duty of any Government is and will forever be to secure this country and keep all its inhabitants safe. It is a mission that has challenged us relentlessly, but it has grown and evolved in recent years. The threat posed by foreign powers will be known by all here: physical threats against individuals and property; theft of trade secrets; attempts to interfere in and influence our democracy; and cyber-attacks targeting both the state and the private sector that disrupt critical infrastructure and compromise sensitive data.

As the House has heard many times before, the source of those threats has come predominantly, though not exclusively, from three countries: Russia, China and Iran. The threats from each present differently, but those threats are very real, and they are evolving. The Bill before us will strengthen the Government’s ability to disrupt hostile intelligence services and their proxies by adapting counter-terrorism tools to tackle state-based security threats to the UK. In developing this legislation, we have worked closely with the police, security and the intelligence agencies. The Bill gives our operational partners the powers that they need, and it does so in a way that reflects the differences between state and non-state actors. As Jonathan Hall himself has said, this Bill “does the job”.

As the Bill progressed through its stages, the Government listened carefully to the arguments about legitimate humanitarian assistance, as well as concerns expressed by non-governmental organisations and the International Development Committee. The Government’s position remains that the Bill should not criminalise legitimate humanitarian aid work or the important work of journalists and diplomats.

[Kim Johnson (Liverpool Riverside) (Lab)]

I welcome Lords amendments 1 to 6, which clarify the Bill. However, as the Bill stands, journalists could still face a prison sentence of 10 to 14 years for working with or even approaching sources in hostile Governments. Will the Minister consider pausing the legislation so that we can go back to the drawing board?

Civil Service Pensions

Kim Johnson Excerpts

Monday 6th July 2026 Commons Chamber

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Ms Nusrat Ghani)]

Order. The questions are far too long. Too many colleagues will be disappointed unless questions are kept short. I call Kim Johnson to show us how it is done.

[Kim Johnson (Liverpool Riverside) (Lab)]

I really welcome the Minister’s statement, and his acknowledgment that Capita has failed—and failed miserably, not for the first time—1.7 million civil servants, including some in my constituency. I would like to ask him: what due diligence was undertaken, and how much profit is Capita making when it is not paying the living wage? Should you now consider sanctioning the company more than the £9.9 million, and will you please work with unions to—

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Ms Nusrat Ghani)]

Order. Gosh—a long question and the hon. Member is saying “you”; it is not my responsibility. Minister, over to you.

Lord Mandelson: Government Response to Humble Address

Kim Johnson Excerpts

Tuesday 19th May 2026 Commons Chamber

[Kim Johnson (Liverpool Riverside) (Lab)]

I am very concerned that it appears that No. 10 is still continuing to cover up Mandelson’s dodgy dealings by redacting and withholding certain information. What was Mandelson’s role in the Prime Minister’s meeting with Palantir, why did the former Health Secretary grant Palantir unlimited access to identifiable NHS patient data, and what assurances can the Minister give us that any information relating to Mandelson’s involvement with Palantir will be exposed to full public transparency and scrutiny?

[Darren Jones]

I can confirm to my hon. Friend that all documents will be published in relation to the Humble Address, as I have set out today and previously, but I again reassert the fact that any suggestion of a cover-up is merely a conspiracy theory.

Security Vetting

Kim Johnson Excerpts

Monday 20th April 2026 Commons Chamber

[Kim Johnson (Liverpool Riverside) (Lab)]

This morning the Secretary of State for Scotland said that to deal with an “unconventional” US Administration, we needed an “unconventional ambassador”. Prime Minister, does “unconventional” now mean appointing a man to a senior position when we know his lies, corruption and misconduct had allowed corruption at the very heart of our democracy? Will the Prime Minister tell us when he first knew about the evidence and the advice—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. Please, let us get other people in.

Antisemitic Attacks

Kim Johnson Excerpts

Monday 20th April 2026 Commons Chamber

[Dan Jarvis]

This Government will take swift action. That is precisely why the Home Secretary commissioned Lord Macdonald to look at the issues that the hon. Member has raised. She will have heard the responses I have given about proscription.

[Kim Johnson (Liverpool Riverside) (Lab)]

Every community should feel safe. Does the Minister agree that we must condemn racism in all its forms—antisemitism, attacks on mosques, the abuse and intimidation directed at other minority ethnic communities, and attacks on asylum hotels by far-right terrorists? The Government’s approach appears inconsistent. Take the handling of visas for divisive far-right figures, such as Valentina Gomez. Her entry has now been blocked, but why was her visa approved in the first place, given the clear risk that she posed to the safety and cohesion of our—

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Judith Cummins)]

Order. These questions are too long. Minister.

[Kim Johnson]

I will finish off by saying—

[Madam Deputy Speaker]

Order. Sit down please.

[Kim Johnson]

Does the Minister agree that all—

[Madam Deputy Speaker]

Order. The hon. Member will respect the Chair. I call the Minister.

Lord Mandelson: Response to Humble Address

Kim Johnson Excerpts

Monday 16th March 2026 Commons Chamber

[Darren Jones]

I am sure that the right hon. Gentleman and Members across the House would not want to do anything to prejudice a criminal investigation that might finally result in justice for the victims of Jeffrey Epstein and his associates. As I have said to the House repeatedly, where the Metropolitan police has asked for documents to be held back, we have consented to that. However, recognising the points the right hon. Gentleman makes, we have agreed a process with the Chair of the relevant Select Committee—a Member on the right hon. Gentleman’s side of the House—so that the Chair is able to see those documents and so that any accusations of any cover-up by the Government can be shown to be inaccurate.

[Kim Johnson (Liverpool Riverside) (Lab)]

The Chief Secretary has just mentioned that the process was not strong enough, but I have to say that that was a massive understatement. The due diligence checklist published last week screamed reputational risks, yet its red flags were ignored and dismissed, exposing a deeply embedded culture of deception. Mandelson’s appointment has dragged our party into the gutter, and the apparent collusion between key figures in Labour Together and the Prime Minister’s top team signals their clear complicity in this failure of judgment. Will the Government now take responsibility and support a full independent inquiry into Labour Together and those in the UK Prime Minister’s office who enabled this?

[Darren Jones]

Where the Government have the ability to take action to ensure transparency and accountability on this matter, they are making sure that they do so. For organisations that are outside of Government, it is for those organisations to consider such requests.

Oral Answers to Questions

Kim Johnson Excerpts

Thursday 5th March 2026 Commons Chamber

[Satvir Kaur]

Hardship loans are available, and a statutory complaints procedure is in place to determine whether compensation is appropriate. I urge hon. Members to direct their constituents towards it.

[Kim Johnson (Liverpool Riverside) (Lab)]

Our manifesto promised the biggest wave of insourcing for a generation. Will the Minister explain when that will happen? Capita will not fix the pension issues faced by thousands until June this year, according to the permanent secretary. To add insult to injury, Capita has been awarded the civil service payroll contract for a quarter of a million workers, covering many large Departments. When will the Government stop rewarding failure by issuing contracts to these outsourcing companies?

[Satvir Kaur]

I understand my hon. Friend’s frustration. She will know that the contract was awarded under the previous Government in 2023. I reassure her that existing key performance indicators have been enhanced and strengthened to deliver tighter performance expectations, with higher penalties for severe failures. Those have already been applied to recent issues and delays in Capita’s administration of the civil service pension scheme.

Middle East

Kim Johnson Excerpts

Monday 2nd March 2026 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

We are taking a number of measures to deal with Iranian threats, as the hon. Gentleman would expect.

[Kim Johnson (Liverpool Riverside) (Lab)]

The Prime Minister claims that lessons have been learned from Iraq, and I really hope that is true. Netanyahu and Trump instigated an illegal act of aggression, putting at risk the lives of thousands of people, including UK nationals and our military. Does the Prime Minister agree that diplomacy and de-escalation are needed if we are not to bring Britain into a reckless and catastrophic war, and can he provide details about this “viable, thought-through plan” to repatriate our nationals?

[The Prime Minister]

I assure my hon. Friend that I will continue to apply the principles that I have set out, and will work to de-escalate across the region.

Civil Service Pension Scheme: Administration

Kim Johnson Excerpts

Wednesday 4th February 2026 Westminster Hall

[Lorraine Beavers]

I agree. Some retirees have had to borrow money just to pay bills because their expected pension payments or lump sums have not arrived, and no clear timescale has been given for when they will. This is not a one-off mistake; it is part of a longer pattern. The Public Accounts Committee has made it clear that successive Governments have failed for years to manage the outsourced contract properly.

[Kim Johnson (Liverpool Riverside) (Lab)]

I thank my hon. Friend for securing this very important debate. PCS members in my constituency were on strike for a long time last year because of the failures by MyCSP. Capita had the contract before and failed. Does my hon. Friend agree that those people who have been waiting and struggling need to be compensated as soon as possible?

[Lorraine Beavers]

I absolutely do agree with you.

The move to Capita was meant to modernise the system and improve services. Instead, it has exposed poor planning and weak control. Since the transfer, the scheme has struggled to work properly. There have been late pension payments, missing lump sums, lost records, broken systems and long delays in answering calls.

US Department of Justice Release of Files

Kim Johnson Excerpts

Monday 2nd February 2026 Commons Chamber

[Darren Jones]

I say to the right hon. Gentleman and the House that, whether it is Peter Mandelson, Michelle Mone or other peers who have brought the other place into disrepute, there needs to be a process for removing peerages. The Government are making it very clear today that this should be conducted on a cross-party basis to ensure the integrity of the other place and our democracy in the future, as it relates to all peers. I encourage Members across this House, and in the other place, to make sure those proposals are brought forward swiftly.

[Kim Johnson (Liverpool Riverside) (Lab)]

Mandelson’s behaviour fell well below the expected standard for a long time, but he was disgracefully allowed to resign very quietly, even though he was sacked as ambassador to the US last year—more action should have been taken last year. I ask the Chief Secretary to do everything he can to expedite legislation to remove all the privileges from this awful man as soon as possible.

[Darren Jones]

The Government stand ready to work with the appropriate authorities in the House of Lords to update its procedures, and as I informed this House, we have written to them today to start that process. We hope to move as quickly as possible.