By Matt Underwood Former Brexit Party MEP admits accepting bribes to shill for Russia, and frankly, it’s hard to understand why this revelation isn’t causing more of a stir. The pieces of the puzzle seem to be falling into place, and a disturbing picture is emerging. It’s like someone finally admitting what many suspected: that Putin’s fingerprints were all over Brexit. This is not just a vague feeling anymore; there’s now, allegedly, proof that some of the promises and campaigns of the Brexit movement were, in fact, directly funded.
This person’s actions certainly seem to qualify as something beyond just questionable; in the simplest terms, it appears to be a betrayal of trust and a profound affront to democratic values. Seeing this individual as the former leader of Reform Wales only adds another layer of complexity to the situation. It suggests a deeper infiltration, not just of the Brexit Party, but potentially into broader political movements across the UK.
The fact that Russia achieved its goals with Brexit, and the lack of widespread understanding of this orchestration to weaken the West, is frankly depressing. Russia has been spreading disinformation and lies about the EU for decades and funding the far-right for a similar length of time. They’ve long sought to destabilize Western democracies, and Brexit appears to be a significant victory for them. If we’re honest with ourselves, it seems the Russian government has done more to prop up fascists on social media to cause division. If this is true, it is straight treason.
This admission raises some serious questions about the integrity of the Brexit campaign and the individuals involved. Were people swayed by propaganda, and do they feel foolish now? It’s a question that deserves serious consideration.
We’re left wondering if this is a wake-up call for the American public, too. Perhaps they have also been duped, or are in the process of being deceived. It does seem that history is at least rhyming.
The logical next question is whether this evidence of Russian influence in the Brexit vote necessitates undoing Brexit itself, in order to remove Putin’s meddling. Some feel this is a direct cause and effect, and to allow Brexit to continue as it currently is would be to let Putin have his way. However, others say the UK has shown its true colors. They feel that until the UK accepts the Euro, the EU should never consider the UK’s request to re-enter.
The truth of the matter is complex and messy. This situation is reminiscent of other political maneuvers. It is a matter of foreign interference that is not a new problem. It’s easy to see how a government could create the perception of credibility to fringe views, which could make it easier for parties like the Brexit party to gain votes.
In this case, the bribes were taken in 2019, years after the Brexit vote, which seems to suggest that even though the vote had been carried out, there was an ongoing operation. This has brought us to the heart of the matter: the fact that someone took bribes to push Russian propaganda.
This information is very serious. There’s evidence of Russian meddling in many countries, including the US. Russia’s ultimate goal is to weaken the West and undermine our democracies. This is clear.
So what happens now? How do we begin to hold people accountable for their actions? How do we stop foreign powers from interfering in our elections and political processes? These are difficult questions, but they must be addressed if we want to protect our democracies.