Ends justifying means

Word of Russian ‘black cash’ financing leave campaigns is fast becoming a torrent. As the inquiries pile up, hard evidence could delegitimise the EU referendum

An interesting opinion piece in the Guradina today. A Putin-led conspiracy to influence Western politics by means of 'black cash' is given a further airing. Normally directed against Trump's campaigns, this time it is given currency and space in a still (just about) sensible newspaper because it connects with the running theme of anti-Brexit hopes and fears.

Russian cash might have funded Brexit campaigns claims Dr Mark Galeotti, 'a senior researcher at the Institute of International Relations Prague and head of its Centre for European Security'. Galeotti cites himself writing for the European Council on [sic] Foreign Relations to claim that Russia is actively attempting to interfere with European politics using a number of techniques. And 'Brexit may prove the perfect case study.'

Evidence? Well, 'Russia'  was apparently delighted with the Brexit vote according to a Guarnida article which did a roundup of international reactions, although Putin was not really that enthusiastic himself. Luckily 'the West' is now on its guard though.

But:

A steady trickle of hard information and soft rumour about Russian support for Brexit [from where?] risks becoming a torrent. Some of this support was, frankly, of questionable impact. Too much is often made of the alleged influence of the English-language Sputnik news agency and RT television channel, or even of the online trolling and disinformation campaign. Evidence that they actually changed minds – rather than just pandered to existing prejudices – is still lacking. 
However, there is a growing likelihood that later this year or early next we will see solid evidence of financial support for the Brexit camp, too [and this is likely to have been more effective?]

The evidence that excites Dr Galeoti here is an increasing interest in the finances of A Banks, a prominent Leave supporter, and the recent arrest of a Farage aide on money-laundering charges in the US. There will be more...

 according to US intelligence sources with whom I have discussed Moscow’s activities [bound to be objective then], there are other cases of what the Russian spooks call “black cash” supporting pro-Brexit campaigns and campaigners, likely to be revealed over the course of the several inquiries taking place on the other side of the Atlantic. Of course, assessing the impact of these operations will require careful study and scholarly rigour [not terribly evident so far] . But when has this stopped anyone using eye-catching allegations for political advantage?

The 'political advantage'  might accrue to the Remainers, thank goodness, so that's OK then, even if it is not actually supported by 'careful study and scholarly rigour'  :

Hard evidence of active, covert Russian interference would delegitimise the original vote, given the narrow margin of victory. Hardcore Brexiteers will risk looking like Putin’s “useful idiots”. This would allow the government to re-run or even disregard the referendum without looking as if it is admitting a mistake or challenging the popular will. It would also smooth the way to allowing article 50 to be revoked or ignored with no penalty [apparently,some EU folk would want us punished even if we cancelled withdrawal]...It is possible that his [Putin's] active measures helped tip the balance in the Brexit referendum. Even more likely, they will help tip the balance back.

So naive and virginal are the British electorate that it would never dawn on them that Russia might be trying to influence public opinion in Britain? Nor the USA or the EU?  They would be so shocked to discover the 'facts', and so easily persuaded by Dr Galeoti and the Remainers' pursuit of political advantage that they would abandon whatever other reasons they might have had for voting Brexit and demand a reversal of the vote

What a dog's breakfast  of self-supporting comment, supposition, and reedy straws glued together with die-hard Remaining and ideological paranoia. If the object of this stuff was to argue that the moon landings were faked or that Russia had already contacted alien visitors, I doubt the Guraun would have even read it.

But any old tosh will do if it supports Remainerism