British PM ‘burying’ report exposing Saudi funding of extremism in UK

The British Prime Minister has been accused of “covering up” a report exposing terrorism funding by Saudi Arabia.

Prominent British MPs have accused Number Ten burying a report that was originally commissioned by the former Prime Minster David Cameron in an effort to strike a deal with the Liberal Democrats to secure their support for extending British airstrikes on Syria.

Theresa May is said to have been in possession of the report for the past six months. She had presided over the unit within the Home Office tasked with carrying out the investigation, which examined the origin and scale of funding of UK extremist groups. The investigation is said to also include an international angle to expose foreign governments funding UK terrorist groups.

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The Liberal Democrats, reported the Times, have kept up pressure on the Conservatives to publish the report, which government officials say includes material that is too sensitive for publication.

Outgoing leader of the Liberal Democrats, Tim Farron, accused the government of covering up the report and expressed that it was “a scandal” for the report to be sitting in Downing Street gathering dust. “What has the prime minister got to hide?” he asked.

I believe this report will be deeply critical of Saudi [Arabia] and that is why it is being hidden from the public. The government seems too desperate to keep Saudi Arabia happy rather than stand up to them

added Farron.

In response to a parliamentary question yesterday May said that “ministers are considering advice on what is able to be published and will report to parliament with an update in due course”.