PM says protection down to individual parties, while senior Whitehall source claims UK does not take threat seriously

Theresa May has been urged to take stronger action against the threat of foreign powers influencing UK elections through hacking, following accusations of Russian interference in the US presidential contest. Angus Robertson, the SNP Westminster leader, questioned whether the government was doing enough to protect the UK’s democratic system against online threats, following claims that Russia orchestrated an attack against Hillary Clinton and the Democratic party during the US election.

May has said that it was a matter for individual political parties to protect themselves against cyber-attacks. It is understood that the major parties have their own safeguards in place, but government agencies have not approached them with offers of extra help in light of the US hacking scandal.



Donald Trump 'not denying Russia was behind hacking campaign', says Priebus Read more

Robertson, a member of the House of Commons intelligence and security committee, which oversees intelligence agencies including cyber-security experts at GCHQ, said: “Given current known threats, it would be extremely unwise and reckless not to take every precaution.”

Concerns about hacking by foreign powers have been heightened since the US expelled 35 Russian diplomats from Washington over concerns about interference in the presidential election and released a report detailing the alleged hacking and leaking of Democratic party emails. In France, the main political parties are being advised by the security services on how to protect themselves from cyber-attack.



One senior Whitehall source with knowledge of the issue said there was a need for the security services to do more to help protect UK political parties from attack by foreign governments. “MPs from across the House of Commons who understand the nature of the cybersecurity threat and the vulnerabilities of political parties are in agreement that something needs to be done involving the security agencies. It cannot be right that other countries are taking this seriously but the UK is not,” the source said.

In a sign of growing concern about cyber-threats, the joint committee on the UK’s national security strategy launched an inquiry into digital security on Monday, with its chair, Dame Margaret Beckett, highlighting the potential for foreign states to engage in hacking for political purposes.

The Labour former foreign secretary said: “While the digital revolution has opened up a whole host of opportunities, it has also created new vulnerabilities. The national security implications of the leap to cyber are a matter of increasing concern. Attention has recently focused on the potential exploitation of the cyber-domain by other states and associated actors for political purposes, but this is just one source of threat that the government must address through its recently launched five-year strategy.”

Ciaran Martin, chief executive of the National Cyber-Security Centre, part of GCHQ, has also warned that the suspected Russian hack of the US Democrats could inspire a similar attack in the UK.

Responding to Robertson, the Cabinet Office pointed to several references in the national cyber-security strategy to protecting the UK from hacking for political purposes.

Young Russian denies she aided election hackers: ‘I never work with douchebags’ Read more

It is understood that the political parties have not automatically received help from the intelligence agencies or police about bolstering their security in light of the Democratic party email hacking, but that they could get advice, assistance and support if they approached the National Cyber-Security Centre.



Asked about precautions against the threat of attack, Labour said it was “constantly updating and reviewing” its online security, while the Liberal Democrats said they had updated some of their security processes in response to concerns about the threat of foreign hacking. The Conservatives declined to comment.