UK govt warns of Russian interference in general election

LONDON, June 30 (AFP): Britain's deputy prime minister warned Sunday that the country's upcoming general election faces threats from hostile actors such as Russia seeking to influence the UK's democratic process.

The country will go to the polls on Thursday, in an election expected to oust the governing right-wing Conservatives and put the opposition Labour party in power.

His comments came after the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported that it had uncovered five Facebook pages spreading the same pro-Kremlin talking points.

Some of them encouraged support for the hard-right Reform UK party led by Brexiteer Nigel Farage-a big challenger to the ruling Conservatives in Thursday's vote. "There is a threat in all elections, and indeed we see it in this election from hostile state actors seeking to influence the outcome of the election campaign," Oliver Dowden told Sky News.