New powers to stop suspected spies from Russia and other hostile states entering Britain were unveiled today in Parliament as the Government stepped up its response to the poisoning of Sergei Skripal.
Under the new law, police and immigration officers will for the first time be given the right to stop and question people they suspect of being spies at UK airports and ports.
If their suspicions about the person’s malign intent are confirmed, they will then be able to pass them to Border Force officials to be deported.
Among the potential targets are foreign agents entering Britain to carry out hits such as the Salisbury attack on Mr Skripal and his daughter Yulia or the murder of former Russian dissident Alexander Litvinenko. Those seeking to steal economic or other secrets will also be in the Government’s sights.
The crackdown, which will make suspected spies subject to powers now only available for dealing with terrorists, is part of a new Counter Terrorism and Border Security Bill published today by Home Secretary Sajid Javid. The Bill will also introduce longer sentences of up to 15 years for terrorist propaganda offences in recognition of the increased danger posed by the speed at which some terrorists are becoming radicalised. Further provisions will make it easier to tackle those who stream or repeatedly view extremist material online and extend the ability of police and prosecutors to bring charges for terror offences committed overseas.
But the most striking reform is the new power to target spies. It follows the expulsion from Britain of 23 Russian diplomats, identified by the Government as spies, in the wake of the nerve agent attack on the Skripals on March 4.
Ministers blame Moscow for the poisoning, with Mr Javid saying today that the new right for police to question suspected spies at the border was a necessary response to the threat posed by “hostile state” activity. “We judge that it was highly likely that the Russian state carried out the appalling attack in Salisbury which demonstrates why the police need robust powers to investigate, identify and challenge those acting against our interests,” the Home Secretary said.
“This is a necessary and proportionate response to the threat and will, of course, be subject to strict safeguards and robust oversight to assure its proper use.”
Among the promised safeguards are provisions to protect legally privileged and journalistic material that might be carried by those suspected of spying. The Investigatory Powers Commissioner, Sir Adrian Fulford, will also monitor use of the new law.
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The Home Office added that the change was needed because “the UK faces a sustained threat from hostile state actors seeking to undermine national security in a variety of ways, including espionage and, as the attack in Salisbury made clear, violence against individuals.” More than 100 police officers are continuing to investigate the attack on Mr Skripal, a former Russian spy who worked for MI6, and his daughter.
Neither detectives nor ministers have yet said whether they have identified the pair’s suspected poisoner, although the Government has concluded that the use of the rare Russian nerve agent Novichok means that the Kremlin is responsible.
The focus of the police investigation continues to be Mr Skripal’s house where the strongest traces of the nerve agent have been found on the property’s front door.
