London is being targeted by an “exponential” rise in negative posts on social media, says a major review into hostile states’ interference in UK elections.
Former top civil servant Philip Rycroft, who carried out the analysis, stressed the “stakes are deemed to be very high” in the online “information warfare” to sway voters.
He highlighted how states, groups or people could cheaply and easily put anonymised content in front of voters through bots on social media or comments on online platforms to “generate and amplify” conflict and distrust.
“Where driven by hostile foreign states, this activity is strategic, long-term and patient,” the review into foreign financial interference said ahead of the May local elections when Labour is expected to suffer heavy losses.
“It appears not to aim at any particular political outcomes; dissonance is its own reward.”
Russia, China and other states have been accused of seeking to influence voters in UK elections, and key figures in Government, academia and business.
Mr Rycroft stressed that given the growing global dangers, and the “space between peace and war”, countering foreign interference was “more important than ever”.
But he emphasised that there were two key issues to address this threat, the first being to understand the “quantum of hostile state activity” in the online world.
“There are many examples quoted of activity that looks as though it is driven by malign interference,” he explained.
“Two recent examples are concerns about the exponential escalation of adverse social media commentary about London and the presence of hostile state activity in the debate on Scottish independence.”
The source of some of the attacks on London are clear, for example Donald Trump lashing out repeatedly at Sir Sadiq Khan and claiming the capital is unsafe.
However, Mr Rycroft stressed that given the lack of public knowledge about the extent of hostile state involvement in the avalanche of negative posts about the city it was difficult to address the threat.
The second issue was to assess the impact that this “malign activity” was having on voter behaviour, whether it was swaying their views or not.
Separately, the review recommended that the Government should temporarily stop political parties being allowed to accept cryptocurrency donations.
Shortly after its publication, Sir Keir Starmer announced at Prime Minister’s Questions that there will be a pause on political donations made in cryptocurrencies.
Mr Rycroft also proposed an annual cap on donations from British voters living abroad and a ban on foreign-funded online political ads.
Few parties accept crypto donations, but Reform UK is the most prominent to do so.
Speaking to reporters, Mr Rycroft said he had spoken to Nigel Farage’s party while compiling the report.
Asked about the prospect of Reform feeling targeted by the crypto recommendation, he said: “I wasn’t here to look out for the interests of any political party, I was here to look out for the interest of our democratic processes.”
The review was commissioned in December last year following a series of high-profile cases of attempts by foreign states to influence UK politics, including the jailing of Reform’s former Welsh leader Nathan Gill for taking bribes to make pro-Russian statements.
The Electoral Reform Society welcomed Mr Rycroft's review but said more must be done to protect the UK's election security.
Director of policy and research Jess Garland said: "It is crucial that the public always trusts that politicians are acting in their interest and not of those with the deepest pockets.
“Our politics should not be for sale to the highest bidder or left open to the influence of hostile foreign powers.”
