Thread by @allthecitizens

🚨New: As a potential Conservative challenge looms, research from @BylineBITE and @allthecitizens finds that the three top contenders for the job have, between them, accepted £78,500 from Russian political donors since 2015. THREAD:

Using information compiled by @allthecitizens, @BylineTimes reports that 3 leadership frontrunners; Rishi Sunak, Liz Truss, and Jeremy Hunt, have received nearly £80k in this time, while the Conservatives have accepted over £1.9m since Johnson took power.

https://twitter.com/allthecitizens/status/1488866055518834695?s=20&t=YzgDWzk7Z0N-aP10QGVZeA

First, Jeremy Hunt - 2nd in the Tories’ last leadership race, has received the most, taking £72,500 from energy company Aquind, who’s director, Alexander Temerko, is the former head of a Russian state-owned arms firm, and close friend of Boris Johnson.
reuters.com/investigates/s…

Temerko has donated to both the central Party and constituencies of 36 MPs, including 3 current Cabinet Ministers, and through companies he controls and personally has gifted over £1.6m, despite previously insisting he wields “zero” political influence.

https://twitter.com/allthecitizens/status/1488866058844917760?s=20&t=J8R07ialQJDIyh2wC2O0Xw

The current favourite to win, Rishi Sunak, has also accepted money from Temerko.

The chancellor’s constituency of Richmond was given a £6,000 donation from the energy tycoon shortly after he entered the Commons as an MP for the area.
examinerlive.co.uk/news/local-new…

Liz Truss, has also associated with Russian political donors.

Lubov Chernukhin, wife of former Russian Finance minister Vladimir Chernukhin, paid £135,000 to attend a “ladies night” with senior Tories, including Truss and then PM Theresa May.
theguardian.com/commentisfree/…

Chernukhin is the largest single female donor in Conservative political history, and has given more than £2m to the Party over the last 10 years.

The Chernukhin’s recently made headlines, when they were revealed to operate a ‘vast offshore empire’
theguardian.com/news/2021/oct/…

Additionally, Dept. PM Dominic Raab has also accepted donations from Russian benefactors, taking £25,000 in 2021 from former Russian Bank chief Dmitry Leus, which excluding the money from Chernukhin to Truss would bring the total figure to more than £100,000.

2 candidates, Tom Tugendhat and Penny Mordaunt, appear not to have accepted funds from Russians. Unlike many of his rivals, Tugendhat is an outspoken critic of the Kremlin’s influence, and as chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee launched an inquiry into dirty money in the UK

There is no suggestion of wrongdoing on the part of any of the people or companies listed. However, there are ongoing public questions and concerns about the funding of Conservative candidates and whether donations from Russians would – even indirectly – influence future policy.

Read the full @BylineTimes write-up from @LavinSascha
below:

bylinetimes.com/2022/02/10/con…