The press release was coincidental with the chair of the All-party parliamentary group on Russia being due for renewal. Shortly afterwards, Sir Malcolm Rifkind, who had served as a minister under Prime Ministers Margaret Thatcher and John Major, and was then chairman of the Intelligence and Security Committee, resigned from the group, saying _he_had been unhappy for some time about the group's behaviour and ``political direction''. <sep>, Pronoun: he <sep>, A: Malcolm Rifkind <sep>, B: John Major