Historian and U.K. analyst Mark Curtis checks out the Twitter accounts of journalists whose names have been associated with the Integrity Initiative, a British “counter disinformation” program.

By Mark Curtis

British Foreign Policy Declassified The U.K.-financed Integrity Initiative, managed by the Institute for Statecraft, is ostensibly a “counter disinformation” program to challenge Russian information operations. However, it has been revealed that the Integrity Initiative Twitter handle and some individuals associated with this program have also been tweeting messages attacking Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. This takes on special meaning in light of the numerous U.K. military and intelligence personnel associated with the program, documented in an important briefing by academics in the Working Group on Syria Propaganda and Media. Several journalists have been named as associated with the Integrity Initiative, either in program “clusters” or having been invited to an Integrity Initiative event, in the documents that have been posted online. (For more on this see section 7.1 of this briefing note, the “UK” section of the “Xcountry” document and journalists invited to speak at an Integrity Initiative event in London in November 2018.) Analysis of 11 of these individuals has been undertaken to assess to what extent their tweets have linked Corbyn unfairly (for a definition see below) to Russia. The results show two things: first, the smearing of Corbyn about Russia is more extensive than has been revealed so far;

second, many of the same individuals have also been attacking a second target – Julian Assange, trying to also falsely link him to the Kremlin. Many of these 11 individuals are associated with The Times and The Guardian in the U.K. and the Atlantic Council in the U.S. The research does not show, however, that these tweets are associated with the Integrity Initiative (see further below). Linking Corbyn to Russia The Integrity Initiative said in a tweet, “we are not ‘anti-Russian’ and do not ‘target’ Mr Corbyn.” However, that tweet was preceded by the following tweets: “Skripal poisoning: It’s time for the Corbyn left to confront its Putin problem.”

“An alleged British Corbyn supporter wants to vote for Putin.”

Corbyn’s sickening support of Soviet Empire .” “’Mr Corbyn was a ‘useful idiot’, in the phrase apocryphally attributed to Lenin. His visceral anti-Westernism helped the Kremlin cause, as surely as if he had been secretly peddling Westminster tittle-tattle for money.’” This tweet was a quote from an article by Edward Lucas in The Times, Here are examples of tweets from the 11 individuals. Times columnist Edward Lucas has published an article on the Integrity Initiative website and been quoted as saying that his work with the Initiative has not been paid or involved anything improper. (See section 7.1.3 of this briefing note.) On Twitter, he has accused Corbyn of having blind spots on Putin’s plutocracy and Kremlin imperialism.”

In which I blast @jeremycorbyn for his blind spot on Putin's plutocracy http://t.co/UOWeAaOilL — Edward Lucas (@edwardlucas) August 26, 2015

Lucas has also tweeted: “Why does Corbyn not see that Russia is imperialist and Ukrainians are victims?” and “It’s not just Corbyn. Here’s Swedish leftie @AsaLinderborg explaining why Nato not Putin is the real threat to peace” – linking to the latter’s article in a Swedish newspaper. “German hard-leftist GDR-loving wall-defending @SWagenknecht congratulates Corbyn on win” [in the Labour leadership contest]

“More excellent stuff on Corbyn’s love of plutocrats so long as they are Russian.” In another tweet, he praised as brilliant an article about Corbyn “playing into Russia’s hands on the Scribal poisoning.” Deborah Haynes, until recently defence editor of The Times and now foreign affairs editor at Sky News, has tweeted:

. @jeremycorbyn talking tough, v quick to demand end to UK arms sales to Saudi Arabia after #Khashoggi death in stark contrast to his feeble response towards Russia over #Skripal attack — Deborah Haynes (@haynesdeborah) October 22, 2018

Haynes has also tweeted about Corbyn “displaying staggering naivety and a complete failure to understand this state-sponsored attack by Russia on the UK. Appalling. Is he for real?” Haynes has also tweeted: “Incredible that @jeremycorbynis attempting to score party-political points in wake of hugely significant statement by @theresa_may on Skripal attack by Russia.” Washington Post columnist Anne Applebaum has tweeted that Corbyn is a “useful idiot” of Russia; about a “precise echo of Kremlin propaganda from Corbyn,” and that “Surprise! Russia sides with Corbyn against Cameron.” Below is another.

Jeremy Corbyn isn’t anti-war. He’s just anti-West https://t.co/2Z5Qp3qBds — Anne Applebaum (@anneapplebaum) November 19, 2015

David Clark, a former adviser to the late Labour PM, Robin Cook, has tweeted that Corbyn is an “apologist” for Putin. Below is another of Clark’s tweets.

It is an article of ideological faith for Corbyn and people like him that everything wrong with the world is the fault of the capitalist West. Therefore, nothing can be the fault of anyone else. — David Clark (@David_K_Clark) September 6, 2018

Anders Aslund of the Atlantic Council in the U.S. has tweeted, referring to Corbyn: “Once a communist always so.” His colleague at the Atlantic Council, Ben Nimmo, sent the following three tweets on Corbyn’s candidacy for the Labour leadership in August 2015: “Why Russia loves Corbyn, in one headline”

“Russia’s certainly pushing Corbyn’s candidacy”

piece he wrote for the Daily Beast: “From Russia with coverage – how RT is campaigning for Jeremy Corbyn.” Here’s one more, promoting a

Natalie Nougayrede, Guardian columnist and on its editorial board, has tweeted this:

"the time for equivocation, given the sinister nature of Mr Putin’s regime, is over"

Guardian editorial on shameful #Corbyn &Co reaction to #Russia behaviour & chemical weapon use https://t.co/ALmpGCoKh5 — Natalie Nougayrède (@nnougayrede) March 15, 2018

Nougayrede also retweeted an article by Nick Cohen, headlined “Jeremy Corbyn isn’t anti-war. He’s just anti-West.” Three Guardian/Observer-linked journalists were invited to speak at an Integrity Initiative event in London in November 2018: Carole Cadwalladr, Nick Cohen and James Ball. Cadwalladr has tweeted that “Labour has a Russia problem,” that Corbyn adviser Seumas Milne is “pro-Putin” and that “Milne’s support for Putin has made him a Russian propaganda tool.” One of Cadwalladr’s tweets noted: “Here’s Corbyn’s principal advisor Seamus Milne on RT explaining why it was the fault of NATO aggression that Russia invaded Ukraine. Another by Cadwalladr: "What he has done, wittingly or unwittingly, is to work with the Kremlin’s agenda." Extraordinary quote from MP & expert on Russian active measures @IoWBobSeely in this incredible in-depth profile on Seamus Milne – @jeremycorbyn's chief advisor https://t.co/NNc9verN57 — Carole Cadwalladr (@carolecadwalla) November 25, 2018 Nick Cohen has tweeted that “Labour is led by Putin fans” and: “What is worse? Farage and Corbyn and twitter trolls divert attention from Russia’s political assassinations because they believe Putin is innocent or because they are morally corrupt?” He has also retweeted an Observer article of his claiming that Labour leaders have promoted “endorsements of Russian imperialism” and that Corbyn’s policy has given Russia “a free pass” in Syria. Here is another:

Here's the political problem. Tories don't want to investigate Russia/Brexit because it undermines the referendum result. Labour doesn't because it is led by Putin fanshttps://t.co/MFZwBmmkqA — Nick Cohen (@NickCohen4) January 11, 2018