Electoral Resilience

Rosie Wrighting Excerpts

Tuesday 16th December 2025 Commons Chamber

[Steve Reed]

I thank the right hon. Gentleman for his question, not least because it gives me the opportunity to correct any misimpression. The independent review will be engaging cross-party across the House and will be hoping—indeed expecting—to hear from Members of all parties who have a view to share. I am convinced that all of us, in all parties, want to ensure that we can defend our democracy against malign foreign interference, whether that is from Russia or anywhere else.

[Rosie Wrighting (Kettering) (Lab)]

I thank the Secretary of State for coming to the House and sending a clear message that attacks on our democracy will not win. This Government will not let that happen, and the British people will not let it happen. My right hon. Friend might be aware that the BBC sought to question the former leader of UKIP in Scotland, who also made pro-Russian interventions in the European Parliament at the same time as Gill, but he refused to answer those questions. With that in mind, can my right hon. Friend assure me that the review will have the resources it needs to leave no stone unturned when examining Russian interference in our political system?

[Steve Reed]

I agree with my hon. Friend. Our democracy is one of the most precious things in our country, and we must all do everything in our power to protect it. Resources will be made available to the independent review from my departmental budgets, and we will hear from the reviewer himself about exactly how he sees the review moving forward. I will make sure that it has appropriate resourcing to carry out the functions that the House of Commons is asking of it.