A NEW Westminster probe will look into reports of Iranian influence on the Scottish independence debate, it has been confirmed.

But it has not yet been confirmed whether it will look into Israeli influence in UK politics – despite a watchdog recently confirming a Westminster group was “temporarily funded” by the Israeli state.

The independent review of foreign financial interference is being launched after former MEP and Reform UK politician Nathan Gill was jailed for taking Russian bribes.

Local government secretary Steve Reed said on Tuesday that digital cryptocurrency donations to political parties and Beijing’s influence would both be in scope of the review.

Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander, meanwhile, told reporters on Wednesday that it could also look at Iranian influence, after reports claimed an Iranian bot network had targeted social discourse around Scottish independence.

READ MORE: Westminster group was funded by Israeli government, investigation concludes

“There’s been a lot of research in recent years indicating that there was Iranian activity in relation to the constitutional future of Scotland,” Alexander said.

“When the Americans took their action that they did, we saw a significant reduction in the number of Iranian bots promoting Scottish independence on Scottish social media sites.

“So it is right and appropriate that the investigation that is being undertaken looks at all actors who are trying to influence democratic decisions being made here in the United Kingdom.”

It has not been confirmed whether the probe will look into Israeli influence, which comes a week after a report from Westminster’s standards committee found that a parliamentary group of MPs had been funded by the Israeli government.

It came after Declassified UK reported earlier this year on how the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Defence Technology took £1499 from RUK Advanced Systems Ltd, which is part of the Israeli state-owned defence firm Rafael.

  • BeanisBrain [he/him, they/them]@hexbear.netEnglish
    7·
    10 days ago
    1. Fear of difference. “The first appeal of a fascist or prematurely fascist movement is an appeal against the intruders. Thus Ur-Fascism is racist by definition.”
    1. The obsession with a plot. “Thus at the root of the Ur-Fascist psychology there is the obsession with a plot, possibly an international one. The followers must feel besieged.”