Britain’s domestic spy agency MI5 issued a rare public warning to members of parliament on Monday that they are being targeted by spies from China, Russia and Iran in an attempt to undermine the country’s democracy.
MI5 warned politicians and their staff to look out for spies seeking to elicit information from them by blackmail or phishing attacks, cultivating long-term and deep relationships with them, or making donations to influence their decisions.
“When foreign states steal vital UK information or manipulate our democratic processes they don’t just damage our security in the short term; they erode the foundations of our sovereignty,” MI5 Director General Ken McCallum said.
MI5 urged politicians to “keep track of odd social interactions”, including frequent requests to meet privately, and to be careful if there is “overt flattery”.
In remarks accompanying the advice to members of parliament, McCallum said: “Everyone reading this guidance cares deeply about the role they play in UK democracy. Take action today to protect it – and yourself.”
