Katia question

PERHAPS surprisingly for a member of the Commons Defence Select Committee who professes to have a keen interest in Russia, Liberal Democrat MP Mike Hancock says he knows nothing about espionage.

By The Newsroom

Published 5th Dec 2010, 18:34 BST

Updated 5th Dec 2010, 18:34 BST

But in spite of Mr Hancock's ignorance on the subject, it might be thought that the security services would know a thing or two – enough, certainly, to prevent anyone from Russia taking a job where they could compromise an MP with such a sensitive role. Instead, it seems that Katia Zatuliveter was allowed to take a job as Mr Hancock's assistant without any thorough scrutiny, in spite of supposedly undergoing security checks, prior to her arrest last week on suspicion of espionage.

Given the nature of this case, it may be some time before the full truth emerges. In the meantime, however, the public could be forgiven for wondering how it is that, regardless of the security implications, at a time when the Government is striving desperately to limit immigration from outside the European Union, a Russian can be given a job in Parliament by one of the coalition's own MPs.