UK’s Johnson Denies Helping Russian Tycoon Enter House of Lords Despite Security Concerns

UK’s Johnson Denies Helping Russian Tycoon Enter House of Lords Despite Security Concerns
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson gestures as he speaks at the Royal Air Force base in Northolt, near London, on March 7, 2022. Henry Nicholls/Pool/AFP via Getty Images
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British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has denied he helped British–Russian media mogul Evgeny Lebedev secure a seat in the House of Lords by intervening to override concerns raised by the security services.

A report in The Sunday Times alleged that intelligence provided by MI5 and MI6 to the House of Lords Appointments Commission initially said granting the peerage to Lebedev could pose a national security threat.