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Wife of former Putin minister buys game of tennis with David Cameron and Boris Johnson for £160,000 | |
(35 minutes later) | |
The wife of one of Putin's former ministers bought a game of tennis with the British Prime Minister and the London Mayor for £160,000 this week, amid concerns over the Tories' links with pro-Russia lobbysits. | |
Lubov Chernukhin, a banker and the wife of Vladimir Chernukhin, a former deputy finance minister in Russia, attended the Conservatives’ latest fundraising ball on Wednesday. | |
The party’s annual summer and winter events are attended by members of the top echelon of Tory-supporting society and include lobbyists, financiers and dignitaries across various business sectors. | The party’s annual summer and winter events are attended by members of the top echelon of Tory-supporting society and include lobbyists, financiers and dignitaries across various business sectors. |
The auction saw the game of tennis with David Cameron and Boris Johnson being offered with other lots, such as a bottle of champagne signed by Margaret Thatcher, which went for £45,000. | |
While the party moved to try and keep details of the event concealed, Ms Chernukhin’s lawyers said in a statement to the Guardian: “Mr Chernukhin attended the Hurlingham Club event with his wife, Lubov Chernukhin,” Carter Ruck said. | While the party moved to try and keep details of the event concealed, Ms Chernukhin’s lawyers said in a statement to the Guardian: “Mr Chernukhin attended the Hurlingham Club event with his wife, Lubov Chernukhin,” Carter Ruck said. |
“Mrs Chernukin is a Conservative party member and supporter. Mrs Chernukhin bid on the lot to which you refer. Mrs Chernukhin's bid was successful.” | “Mrs Chernukin is a Conservative party member and supporter. Mrs Chernukhin bid on the lot to which you refer. Mrs Chernukhin's bid was successful.” |
Briton Ms Chernukhin has donated £5,500 to the Tories since 2012, after a £10,000 donation was ‘deferred’ when she was considered an ‘impermissible donor,’ according to Electoral Commission records. | |
It comes as David Cameron’s party faces pressure to detail its links with a lobbying firm representing high-profile Russian clients that donated a quarter of its annual profits to help the Tories win the last election. | |
New Century Media is understood to have paid for cabinet ministers to attend its events, while representing organisations such as the foundation of Ukranian billionaire Dmitry Firtash. | |
Last year, it has as its guest at the Tories' summer ball MP John Whittingdale, who, a few months later, secured the foundation a reception in the Houses of Parliament. | |
Tables at this year's extravagant summer ball, at the Hurlingham Club in Fulham, went for as much as £12,000, where leading businesspeople sit among senior member of the Conservative party such as Home Secretary Theresa May and Defence Secretary Philip Hammond, both of whom attended last year. | |
This year’s guestlist has been kept firmly under wraps despite calls for it – along with details of donations and the final price of lots auctioned – to be published. | |
“It is perfectly legitimate for parties to seek donations, but it must be transparent. These events have a corrosive effect on public trust because there is no transparency,” former Chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, Sir Alistair Graham, told the Daily Mail. | |
Other prizes reportedly included a pheasant shoot at the Oxfordshire estate of Syrian tycoon Wafic Said. |
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