- See below for full interview
How much longer can the United Kingdom and the United States continue to be part of the Five Eyes alliance under their current governments?
Foreign affairs specialist Prof Robert Patman has highlighted massive electoral irregularities and attempts by UK prime minister Boris Johnson's government to cover up Russian involvement in UK politics and new revelations about US president Donald Trump's alleged attempts to use his position for personal political advantage.
In light of these events, the University of Otago academic says New Zealand, Australia and Canada will be asking whether it is right to have the UK and US, under their current governments, in the intelligence alliance that was set up to uphold a rules-based international system and defend it from authoritarian forces.
Prof Patman says UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson's refusal to release a report in to Russian involvement in the Conservative Party and the 2016 Brexit Referendum is "a clear cover-up''.
Of recent revelations by Gordon Sondland alleging Trump offered Ukraine's president military aid if Ukraine investigated the son of Joe Biden, a likely opponent for the 2020 US presidential election, Prof Patman says "that is an impeachable offence''.
"No-one should be above the law, whether they be presidents or prime ministers.
"If they have broken the law they should be held fully accountable.
"Quite frankly, the credibility of democracy both in the United Kingdom and in the United States is at stake.''
Related Stories
Comments
And democracy is at stake in NZ when the media concentrates on only one side - that is the left, and blatantly hides what is really happening. If journalists were "allowed" to dig deeper they would be surprised, as with the Russia hoax, Trump now being accused of high crimes and misdemeanours re Ukraine, to find that this is proving to be another hoax generated by the Demorats.
New Zealand needs to look at itself. Chinese money flowing into our political parties. NZ First looking suspicious. Winston Peters had half a dozen meetings with the Russian Ambassador prior to the last election.
