Hostile foreign states pose ‘real risk’ of influencing MPs’ cross-party groups

Standards committee report calls for reforms to all-party parliamentary groups to avert next great parliamentary scandal'

Hostile foreign states and others pose a real risk" of gaining access and wielding influence through all-party parliamentary groups (APPGs), the Commons standards committee has warned.

Calling for reforms to avert what it described as the next great parliamentary scandal", the committee also voiced concerns that a dramatic rise in the number of the informal cross-party groups also risks inappropriate influence and access" because they are so difficult to monitor.