The Conservatives And Donations From Russians

[Gromit]

From the Sunday Times (behind a paywall)

// May promised to distance her party from Russian donors when she took office, with allies briefing that she would “sup with a long spoon” and the prime minister insisting there would not be a “business as usual” relationship with Moscow. However, the party has declared donations worth £826,100 from Russian-linked supporters since July 2016. //

And not just Russian citizens...

// Gérard Lopez, gave £400,000 to the Tories in April 2016, is chairman of the board of Rise Capital, which recently signed deals for a string of infrastructure projects across Russia worth billions.

Rise Capital lists as partners three Russian banks that had sanctions imposed on them by the US and EU in 2014 in the wake of the Ukraine crisis. Sergei Romashov, the managing partner of Rise Capital, is understood to be close to Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin. //

Is this money acceptable, or should the donations be returned ?

[Zacs-Master]

They’ve been returned in the past
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/oct/21/tory-party-returns-impermissible-donation-linked-russian-banker-borodin

[gulliver1]

Total Donations made by the Russians £1,157, 433 not bad for a days work eh.
Comrades.

[douglas9401]

Further proof, if it were needed, that politicians are all liars and should be treated with contempt.

[cassa333]

All politicians lie. They all 'get help' from dodgy sources at times then backtrack when nobbled.

It is how they wriggle out of it that shows another set of colours.

Denying an untruthand outright is best policy I think but trying to deflect by say, accusing the media of all sorts of things and threatening to reign them in if you got in power just smacks of 'I'm guilty but I'm not going to give you information so na na nah you can't catch me' is how some react.

[youngmafbog]

Any money from foreigners given to any party should be returned.

However if anyone is resident in the UK that would be a different matter.

Needs investigating to get to the real truth.

[ichkeria]

Definitely needs investigating at the very least.
I heard John McDonnell saying the morning when asked that Labour politicians should steer clear of Russia Today - at long last. Took a while but got there in the end.
Galloway TV is on borrowed time.

[lindapalmara]

To me it's not as bad as Labour taking money from a Fascist who wants to muzzle the free press.

[gulliver1]

YMB, any money should be returned, think you ought to get out more !.

[naomi24]

Gulliver, I think you should stop misquoting the posts you're responding to.

[gulliver1]

Naomi I think you should keep your thoughts to yourself.

[-Talbot-]

So should you gulliver ... all 3 of them.

[gulliver1]

Try engaging brain first Talbot