UK Ex-Minister Claims Moscow May Collect Compromising Data on Top UK Officials

Former UK Minister of State for Europe Chris Bryant claimed that Moscow may accumulate compromising materials on top politicians from the United Kingdom, including UK Foreign Minister Boris Johnson, using the network of people.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The compromising details on UK politicians may be used by Moscow to discredit them, Bryan added.

"Any minister who goes into the Foreign Office and has responsibility for Russia, they [Moscow] will be, in any shape or form, trying to put together information about them," Bryant told The Guardian on Saturday.

Bryant’s last position in the UK government was the shadow leader of the House of Commons. He resigned in 2016 after the Brexit vote.

In 2009, Bryant was involved in the UK parliamentary expenses scandal. In 2003, UK media published nude photos of Bryant that he previously posted himself on the gay dating service.

On Tuesday, CNN and BuzzFeed reported on memos, compiled by a former UK intelligence officer, which allege that US President-elect Donald Trump has been groomed and supported by the Russian intelligence for at least five years, among other claims.

On Friday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called the documents a forgery.