Labour join calls for Russian-linked donations to go to Ukrainian charities

Witney MP Robert Courts and West Oxfordshire Conservatives have received just under £18,000 from Lubov Chernukhin, wife of Vladimir Chernukhin who served as Russian president Vladimir Putin’s deputy finance minister before moving to the UK in 2004.

Mrs Chernukhin has given more than £2 million to the Conservative Party since 2016.

The Tories have previously defended taking money from her and there is no suggestion that Mr and Mrs Chernukhin’s wealth is illegitimate.

The party insists the donations come from a British citizen and the donations are all legal under electoral rules.

READ ALSO: Lib Dems 'want straight answers' about Russian-linked donations to Witney Conservatives

But Witney Lib Dems have launched a petition that states: "Mr Courts must explain where the Russian-linked money they have received comes from, or to give it to groups who support the people of Ukraine."

And Labour has added its voice to calls for the donations to go to charity.

Steve Akers, vice chair of the Chipping Norton Labour Party, said: "It is entirely for Robert Courts' conscience if he thinks keeping this donation is appropriate, or whether he should now donate this money to the Disasters Emergency Committee Ukraine Appeal.

"I think all Tory politicians who have received money from anyone linked with Putin's regime, should now donate this to relieving the suffering of the Ukrainian people."

A spokesperson said the donations were not money paid to Mr Courts and he has never had control over how it is spent or allocated.

"Donations are made to the local Conservative Association to be spent on local campaigns."

Mrs Chernukhin, who with her husband owns a mansion in Oxfordshire among other properties, has criticised Putin's “despotic regime” and condemned the invasion of Ukraine.

The spokesperson added that therefore the only reason this question is being asked must be because the donor is foreign-born.

"Does this mean that you will be asking the local Liberal Democrats if they will be returning the over £20,000 they have received from a dual-national in recent years?

READ ALSO: Protest to end war in Ukraine attended by hundreds in Oxford

"I am not saying that Robert or anyone is calling for them to do so, but it important that they are held to their own standards if they are suggesting that anyone with any foreign connection should not be able to donate to political parties."

Mike Brooker who is standing for Labour in Witney South in the May local elections has started a petition on Change.org asking for the £17,975 Witney Conservatives received to go to the British Red Cross Ukraine Crisis Appeal.

He posted: "When something looks wrong, seems wrong and cries out wrong, surely this is a time you call out the wrong!"

Figures released by the Electoral Commission show Mrs Chernukhin donated another £80,250 to the party in the final months of 2021.

At Prime Minister’s Questions on the same day, Labour MP Bill Esterson asked the Prime Minister if he would instruct the Conservative Party to hand the money to Ukrainian humanitarian causes.

Mr Esterson said: “I know he doesn’t want to tar everyone with Russian links with the same brush and neither do I, but leaked documents… show that Vladimir Chernukhin received eight million US dollars from a Russian member of parliament, an ally of Putin who was later sanctioned by the United States.

“This is an opportunity for the Conservative Party and for the Prime Minister to end the suspicion of conflict of interests with Putin whilst showing solidarity with the Ukrainian people.”

Boris Johnson replied: “It is absolutely vital that if we are to have a successful outcome in what we are trying to do collectively, united with Ukraine, that we demonstrate that this is not about the Russian people, it is about the Putin regime.”