And in even more embarrassment for the Conservative Party, it was revealed in May that Access Industries also made a £1.25 million donation to the party’s coffers.
Tory leadership contender Robert Jenrick accepted a £25,000 donation from a sanctioned oligarch’s firm, it has been revealed.
The revelations were made by Byline Times, which found that ‘the MP accepted a £25,000 donation from a company owned by an oligarch who has been sanctioned by Ukraine’.
It went on to add: “Len Blavatnik, who owns Access Industries (UK) Ltd, is reported to be worth $30 billion according to Forbes and was sanctioned by the Ukrainian Government on 23 December 2023.
“Jenrick, who has repeatedly highlighted his support for Ukraine’s fight against Russia during his campaign to lead the Conservative party, saying the UK should “stand shoulder to shoulder” with the country, accepted the donation on 26 September 2024, but details were only disclosed by the House of Parliament on Wednesday.”
And in even more embarrassment for the Conservative Party, it was revealed in May that Access Industries also made a £1.25 million donation to the party’s coffers.
Blavatnik is reported to have made billions from a partnership with BP in Russia.
Despite the Conservative Party’s support for Ukraine following Russia’s invasion, it nonetheless accepted a donation from an individual that Kyiv had decided to sanction.
Basit Mahmood is editor of Left Foot Forward
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