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Yesterday, the newly-formed Intelligence and Security Committee announced a report on Russia’s attempts to influence British politics will be released within days after MPs unanimously agreed it should be published before the chamber rises for the summer recess. Following the announcement, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab confirmed in the Commons that Russia attempted to interfere in the 2019 general election, revealing that the leaked document on UK-US trade shown by Jeremy Corbyn during the campaign was sourced from Russian hackers. Amid rising threats, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has ordered a major national security and foreign policy shake-up, which has included replacing Sir Mark Sedwill as National Security Adviser (NSA) with David Frost, merging the Department for International Development (DfID) into the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), and encouraging Sir Simon McDonald to step down early as Permanent Under-Secretary at the FCO.

But, Mr Ellwood has called for an integrated review to be carried out before the Prime Minister makes decisions like these, which could have huge implications on the “threats” Britain faces.

Speaking to Express.co.uk, he said: “I think it is the right of the Prime Minister to re-design the architecture according to how he sees fit.

“But everything we are talking about here is in a very fast-changing world.

“What I would like to see first before any major changes are introduced is an integrated review.

“It poses a fundamental question to the threats that we face and what Britain thinks it can do about it and where are the shortfalls in our defence and security capabilities that prevent us from doing something about it?

“Then it can take you to your larger architecture – that’s a logical process to advance and modernise a very traditional set-up.”

The Prime Minister has pledged to hold the largest review of the UK’s foreign, defence, security and development policy since the end of the Cold War.

The Integrated Review will cover all aspects of the UK’s place in the world, from the role of our diplomatic service and approach to development to the capabilities of our Armed Forces and security agencies.

But, it emerged last week that his chief aide, Mr Cummings, will play a major role in the UK’s future defence and security needs, visiting the UK’s most sensitive military sites.

Mr Ellwood revealed why he has reservations about the decision – and noted that the former Vote Leave director’s weakness is his preoccupation with domestic policy, while accusing him of overlooking international issues.

He added: “I fear though, with Dominic Cummings, he is a domestic revolutionist and he has less interest in what goes on beyond Dover.

“We need another version of him because obviously the Prime Minister relies on him incredibly, we need somebody like him – maybe David Frost – the new National Security Advisor – to bring on the arc of interest which is the international interest.

“Dominic Cummings is immensely powerful, that concerns some cabinet members significantly because he does change the focus in allowing one individual to yield so much influence.

“But that is the choice of the Prime Minister, he can take that approach if he wants to, my concern though is less to do with the individual, but more to do with the perception that Britain is less interested in international affairs than we previously were.”

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Mr Ellwood revealed that Mr Cummings turned down an invitation to appear before the Commons Defence Select Committee in March.

Members have now renewed that invitation and hope Mr Cummings will allow the opportunity to be scrutinised over his future decisions.

He stated: “I tweeted about Cummings going to the top security sites, and the Defence Select Committee has indeed decided to treat him the same way we do with civil servants, military personnel and ministers.

“We’ve requested him to come in front of our committee.”

It comes as the new chairman of Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee, Julian Lewis, condemned Downing Street’s attempt to impose its “preferred candidate” to lead the committee.

The backbench MP said he did not respond to a call to vote for former cabinet minister Chris Grayling as he considered it to be an “improper request”.

Mr Lewis was expelled from the parliamentary Conservative Party on Wednesday after securing the prestigious ISC chairmanship with the support of opposition members.

In a statement, he said that the 2013 Justice and Security Act explicitly removed the right of the Prime Minister to choose the ISC chairman and gave it to the committee members.

He said: ”It was only yesterday afternoon that I received a text asking me to confirm that I would be voting for the Prime Minister’s preferred candidate for the ISC chair.

“I did not reply as I considered it an improper request. At no earlier stage did I give any undertaking to vote for any particular candidate.”

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