The deputy prime minister accused Corbyn of ‘siding with Putin’
Dominic Raab has described former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn as a “national security risk” in a fiery exchange with Angela Rayner.
During a heated debate during Wednesday’s Prime Minister’s Questions, the deputy PM faced questions over the appointment of Russian oligarch Evgeny Lebedev to the House of Lords – despite concerns from MI6 that his links to the Kremlin could pose a security risk to the British people.
Rayner said there were widespread reports that Boris Johnson ignored warnings from Britain’s intelligence services and granted Lebedev- who is the son and business partner of a KGB spy, a seat in Parliament.
Asked to confirm whether he had at any time over-ruled or ignored direct advice from the British security services, Raab said “what she (Rayner) suggests is nonsense”.
“But because she wants to talk about national security, then may I remind her that she and her Shadow Cabinet colleagues not so long ago wanted the Honourable Member for Islington North (Corbyn)” to lead the Labour party.
He said Corbyn “wanted to talk about abolishing the army, pulling out of trident” and described his nuclear disarmament policies as “ridiculous, reckless and naive”.
“A Labour government would put our security at risk,” Raab added.
When Raab accused Corbyn of having sided with Putin, Rayner, Labour’s deputy leader, reminded him that in 2015 former Prime Minister David Cameron had worked repeatedly with Putin.
“So I don’t think he’s on safe grounds there,” she said.
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