Russian donations to the Tories

[BillyStubbsTears]

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/12/world/europe/russian-money-uk-tories.html

It's right there folks. Right under your noses if you're prepared to look.

This time, it's also clearly illegal.

[Filo]

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/12/world/europe/russian-money-uk-tories.html

It's right there folks. Right under your noses if you're prepared to look.

This time, it's also clearly illegal.

Behind a paywall i’m afraid

[BillyStubbsTears]

You get the distilled version in this tweet thread by the writer of the article.

https://mobile.twitter.com/jane__bradley/status/1524647337557172225

[SydneyRover]

Reddit

''Major Donation to U.K. Conservative Party Was Flagged Over Russia Concerns | The cash was part of a fund-raising blitz that helped propel Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s party to victory in 2019. Records track $630,225 to a Russian bank account''

[SydneyRover]

It's up and running

The Insider:

''Tories accepted a six-figure donation whose 'ultimate source' was a pro-Kremlin former Ukrainian politician, report says''

https://www.businessinsider.com/tories-took-donation-whose-ultimate-source-was-pro-kremlin-report-2022-5

[wilts rover]

And at the same time:

Boris Johnson Delays Publishing Secret Lebedev Advice Due to 'Security Challenges'

PM fails to release advice he received from UK security services about his friend Evgeny Lebedev, despite MPs voting for its release:

https://twitter.com/BylineTimes/status/1524714950228332544

What on earth could these 'Security Challenges' relating to MI6 saying Johnson should not give a peerage to the son of a Russian KGB agent and why he subsequently over-ruled them be?

[Glyn_Wigley]

The money to pay off the newspapers had to come from somewhere!

[belton rover]

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/12/world/europe/russian-money-uk-tories.html

It's right there folks. Right under your noses if you're prepared to look.

This time, it's also clearly illegal.

Thanks for helping us all out from up there, Billy.
I don’t know what we’d do without you.

[bpoolrover]

https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1574521/labour-donors-russia-oligarch-donations-evg/amp. not at the same level but not the only party accepting russian money

[BillyStubbsTears]

Bpool.

Have you actually read that Express article? How on earth do you deduce from that that the Labour party has been accepting Russian money?

[wilts rover]

https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1574521/labour-donors-russia-oligarch-donations-evg/amp. not at the same level but not the only party accepting russian money

Not according to that article they haven't.

[bpoolrover]

Russian linked money if your going to be picky

[BillyStubbsTears]

Bpool.
Have a think about what The Express is doing here.

It's effectively saying "The Tories have been accused of taking money illegally, but Labour are hypocrites because they also took money "

There is absolutely zero equivalence between one party taking money that is directly traced back to originating from a Russian businessman, and another country taking money from a British person who made money investing in Russian company shares.

They treat you as if you are too thick to realise that difference.

[drfchound]

That was a nice amount that Brown took from the Russian bank, just for delivering a speech.

[bpoolrover]

Bpool.
Have a think about what The Express is doing here.

It's effectively saying "The Tories have been accused of taking money illegally, but Labour are hypocrites because they also took money "

There is absolutely zero equivalence between one party taking money that is directly traced back to originating from a Russian businessman, and another country taking money from a British person who made money investing in Russian company shares.

They treat you as if you are too thick to realise that difference.

i did say not to the same level but you will always make it so labour have done no wrong!  and as hound said brown has took money so hopefully you will call him on that?

[selby]

  Is there anyone on this forum who can split this Labour Tory battle on here and toss in the odd Liberal, Green, even Reform take on things to break the monopoly even just the odd time, or are we in just a two tribe area?

[BillyStubbsTears]

Bpool.

I do not always make out that Labour has done no wrong. I criticised the idiot backbencher who took money from China. The point here is that there is absolutely zero connection between the Labour party donation and the millions of pounds that the Tory party has taken directly from Russians that they have given UK passports to.

As for Brown (ten years ago) the money he received went into a charitable trust that neither he, nor the Labour party profit from.

Like I say, The Express's approach is to make these nudge-wink suggestions and trust that their readership is sufficii uninterested in finding out the truth that some of it sticks. I think you are smarter than that.

[Colemans Left Hook]

Bpool.
Have a think about what The Express is doing here.

It's effectively saying "The Tories have been accused of taking money illegally, but Labour are hypocrites because they also took money "

There is absolutely zero equivalence between one party taking money that is directly traced back to originating from a Russian businessman, and another country taking money from a British person who made money investing in Russian company shares.

They treat you as if you are too thick to realise that difference.

well done at least this post is not in "works time " 7 posts today were officially in traditional working hours - i let you off for the one that could be counted in your "well deserved      "lunch break"

[Branton Red]

2 serious questions.

1) Were any of the Russians the Tories received money from either Putin cronies or involved in criminal activity in Russia?

Just because the Tories have accepted donations from people who are Russian in of itself shouldn't be used as a stick to beat them with - that would be sheer xenophobia.

2) Is there any evidence Tory Government policy pre and post the most recent Ukraine invasion been influenced by these donations?

I think post the most recent invasion the UK has done as much as any other country in supporting the Ukrainian war effort.

[drfchound]

Bpool.

I do not always make out that Labour has done no wrong. I criticised the idiot backbencher who took money from China. The point here is that there is absolutely zero connection between the Labour party donation and the millions of pounds that the Tory party has taken directly from Russians that they have given UK passports to.

As for Brown (ten years ago) the money he received went into a charitable trust that neither he, nor the Labour party profit from.

Like I say, The Express's approach is to make these nudge-wink suggestions and trust that their readership is sufficii uninterested in finding out the truth that some of it sticks. I think you are smarter than that.

Well done for criticising the “idiot back bencher”, but is he the only Labour MP to have sleaze attached to his name?
I don’t recall much, if anything, being said about Keith Vaz, Jarod O’Mara, Fiona Onasanya or Claudia Webbe.
If they had been Tory MPs you would probably have written a further 20 pages on the forum to bore us with.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Bpool.
Have a think about what The Express is doing here.

It's effectively saying "The Tories have been accused of taking money illegally, but Labour are hypocrites because they also took money "

There is absolutely zero equivalence between one party taking money that is directly traced back to originating from a Russian businessman, and another country taking money from a British person who made money investing in Russian company shares.

They treat you as if you are too thick to realise that difference.

well done at least this post is not in "works time " 7 posts today were officially in traditional working hours - i let you off for the one that could be counted in your "well deserved      "lunch break"

What we you doing at 2:45 this morning?

[wilts rover]

Russian linked money if your going to be picky

Err no not at all. One individual ex-Labour politician who has not been an MP since 2015 gave a speech for a Russian bank 10 years ago.

The Tory PARTY have accepted £millions in donations directly from Russian oligarchs, some with identifiable, direct connections to Putin, and were known to be doing so as late as this February.

[BigH]

https://www.businessinsider.com/putin-ally-lubov-chernukhin-russia-report-auction-tennis-boris-johnson-2020-2?r=US&IR=T

Clearly bought by this tennis-mad Russian because she(!) couldn't miss out on the chance of playing such an icon of the game. At least it wasn't a 'donation'.

[drfchound]

https://www.businessinsider.com/putin-ally-lubov-chernukhin-russia-report-auction-tennis-boris-johnson-2020-2?r=US&IR=T

Clearly bought by this tennis-mad Russian because she(!) couldn't miss out on the chance of playing such an icon of the game. At least it wasn't a 'donation'.

Is she a Russian?

From the above link.

Chernukhin is a UK citizen and resident in London. A Conservative Party spokesperson said: "All donations will be declared properly and transparently to the Electoral Commission, published by them, and comply fully with the law“.

[belton rover]

Bpool.

I do not always make out that Labour has done no wrong. I criticised the idiot backbencher who took money from China. The point here is that there is absolutely zero connection between the Labour party donation and the millions of pounds that the Tory party has taken directly from Russians that they have given UK passports to.

As for Brown (ten years ago) the money he received went into a charitable trust that neither he, nor the Labour party profit from.

Like I say, The Express's approach is to make these nudge-wink suggestions and trust that their readership is sufficii uninterested in finding out the truth that some of it sticks. I think you are smarter than that.

Ha ha
Throw the odd backbencher to the lions and it’s even stevens.
Typical Billy.

[drfchound]

Bpool.

I do not always make out that Labour has done no wrong. I criticised the idiot backbencher who took money from China. The point here is that there is absolutely zero connection between the Labour party donation and the millions of pounds that the Tory party has taken directly from Russians that they have given UK passports to.

As for Brown (ten years ago) the money he received went into a charitable trust that neither he, nor the Labour party profit from.

Like I say, The Express's approach is to make these nudge-wink suggestions and trust that their readership is sufficii uninterested in finding out the truth that some of it sticks. I think you are smarter than that.

Ha ha
Throw the odd backbencher to the lions and it’s even stevens.
Typical Billy.

…..

[BigH]

https://www.businessinsider.com/putin-ally-lubov-chernukhin-russia-report-auction-tennis-boris-johnson-2020-2?r=US&IR=T

Clearly bought by this tennis-mad Russian because she(!) couldn't miss out on the chance of playing such an icon of the game. At least it wasn't a 'donation'.

Is she a Russian?

From the above link.

Chernukhin is a UK citizen and resident in London. A Conservative Party spokesperson said: "All donations will be declared properly and transparently to the Electoral Commission, published by them, and comply fully with the law“.

I do apologise, born in Kazakhstan (then part of the USSR) of Russian parents, married to a former Russian deputy finance minister who has been funded by Putin ally, Kerimov.

[wilts rover]

https://www.businessinsider.com/putin-ally-lubov-chernukhin-russia-report-auction-tennis-boris-johnson-2020-2?r=US&IR=T

Clearly bought by this tennis-mad Russian because she(!) couldn't miss out on the chance of playing such an icon of the game. At least it wasn't a 'donation'.

Is she a Russian?

From the above link.

Chernukhin is a UK citizen and resident in London. A Conservative Party spokesperson said: "All donations will be declared properly and transparently to the Electoral Commission, published by them, and comply fully with the law“.

She purchased UK citizenship. I don't believe she ever gave up Russian citizenship.

[BillyStubbsTears]

This is really important. And far, far beyond party politics.

https://mobile.twitter.com/AnnelieseDodds/status/1526576788289331200

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

Its a bit of a tenuous link and ultimately the answers the guy have given can't really be proven to be illegal, it's a subjective answer that can't really be disputed.