Russian diplomats accessed a private area of parliament in a major security breach shortly before Christmas, prompting alarm among ministers and security officials. The small group joined a public tour of the Houses of Parliament before breaking off to enter an out-of-bounds part of the House of Lords. They were discovered by security staff and removed from the estate.
A parliamentary source said the incident was believed to be an attempt to demonstrate infiltration of the British parliament to the Kremlin, but noted that the diplomats were caught before any damage was done. UK government ministers were said to be alarmed by the attempt, which occurred late last year.
As a result, MPs and peers have been given a written warning not to invite Russian diplomats to parliament. The Commons Speaker, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, and the Lords Speaker, Lord McFall of Alcluith, privately reminded members of the ongoing arrangements in place since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Their letters stated that the Russian ambassador and all other Russian diplomats accredited to the UK should not be welcomed onto the parliamentary estate until further notice.
The breach raises fresh questions about parliamentary security, which the Guardian understands is regularly targeted by foreign powers. It follows the case of Christopher Cash, a former parliamentary researcher due to stand trial for spying for China under the Official Secrets Act. Separately, Cabinet Office minister Pat McFadden warned in November that Russia was prepared to carry out cyber-attacks on the UK and its allies to weaken support for Ukraine.
The speakers' warning coincided with Keir Starmer's first visit to Kyiv as prime minister, where he pledged UK support for Ukraine beyond the war. The visit was dramatically underscored by a Russian drone flying over Volodymyr Zelenskyy's office while the leaders were in talks, with loud booms heard as Ukrainian air defences attempted to shoot it down.
