After Grayling's failure to be elected as Intelligence and Security Committee chair, he was criticised by colleagues who referred back to his previous track record as a minister and who "The Spectator" reported as saying "only Grayling could lose a rigged election". Julian Lewis had the party whip withdrawn by Boris Johnson. On 21 July 2020, the committee released the previously repressed report which outlined how the government failed to investigate Russian interference in the 2016 EU referendum. On 28 August, it was reported Grayling had resigned from the committee. "The Guardian" commented that sources familiar with the matter had indicated he had "gone off in a sulk" and had no desire to serve on the committee as an ordinary member.