A cross-party team of MPs is threatening to sue Boris Johnson unless he orders an impartial investigation into Russian interference in modern British isles elections and the 2016 Brexit vote.

The MPs say the government’s refusal to look into Kremlin meddling is a breach of the European convention on human rights, which enshrines the ideal to totally free elections in posting 3.

The team suggests it will acquire the key minister to courtroom if he fails to carry out what it describes as crucial steps to shield upcoming elections. It has despatched him a pre-action letter, to which Downing Street has two months to respond.

Caroline Lucas, the Environmentally friendly MP for Brighton, explained: “Democratic procedures are clearly at chance. It would seem that the integrity of our elections is getting intentionally undermined. Almost nothing could be a lot more critical for our democracy.

“Ministers’ behaviour to date has been shockingly complacent and negligent. The govt cannot be allowed to shirk this due to the fact Tory party coffers are topped up with Russian funds.”

The MPs simply call on the govt to employ the suggestions of parliament’s intelligence and safety committee (ISC). Its long-awaited Russia report, which Johnson suppressed, prior to the very last standard election, was last but not least printed very last thirty day period.

The government suggests it has noticed no evidence of “successful” Moscow interference. The ISC, on the other hand, mentioned Johnson and his predecessor Theresa May possibly produced no work to look for it, and nor did Britain’s security businesses, with MI5 offering the committee with just 5 strains of textual content.

The ISC described the Uk as a clear concentrate on for Russian disinformation and dollars laundering, and referred to as on Johnson to launch a complete inquiry. He dismissed the request previous month.

The team of MPs has termed for a collection of legislative reforms. It would like a one body to be lawfully liable for combating international impact and a ban on donations from overseas. It suggests on the net political adverts should make the supply of funding crystal clear, and that agents who perform for international states really should be compelled to sign up, as in the US.

All the Citizens, a new non-earnings group, is a co-claimant in the lawful action, which is getting brought by the legislation agency Leigh Day. All the Citizens has introduced a crowdfunding marketing campaign to raise revenue to deal with legal prices and has produced a video.

Other claimants involve the Labour MPs Chris Bryant and Ben Bradshaw, the Tory peer Patience Wheatcroft, the Lib Dem peer Paul Strasburger and the SNP MP Alyn Smith. Bradshaw said voters deserved to know the extent of Russian interference in British politics and accused the government of hunting the other way.

Strasburger said: ‘The prime minister’s refusal to even request our intelligence products and services what the Russians did to impact the referendum is a full dereliction of his responsibility to guard us.”

Downing Road has been approached for comment.