SNP challenge Theresa May over Conservatives’ acceptance of Russian donations

The Prime Minister has been challenged over the Conservative Party’s continuing to accept hundreds of thousands of pounds in donations from the wife of a former Vladimir Putin minister.

The latest release of data on political party donations from the Electoral Commission shows the Conservatives accepted £146,750 from Lubov Chernukhin, the wife of the Russian former deputy finance minister, in November.

The donation came eight months after the UK Government blamed Russian agents for the poison attack on a double agent in Salisbury, which put five people including a police officer in hospital, and resulted in one death.

Mrs Chernukhin also donated £100,000 in March, and in the past has also won prestigious lots at Tory fundraising auctions, including a tennis match with Boris Johnson and a meal with Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson.

SNP Defence Spokesman Stewart McDonald. Picture: John Devlin

Vladimir Chernukhin served in Mr Putin’s government from 2000 to 2002, was appointed chairman of a state bank by presidential decree, and admitted to the Russian Order of Honour. Mr Chernukhin then fell out with the Russian president over his support for Kremlin critic Mikhail Kasyanov, and left the country.

SNP Defence spokesman Stewart McDonald said the donation was “objectionable to the point of vulgarity”.

In his letter to Theresa May, Mr McDonald said: “Given the nature of current UK-Russia relations, and indeed Russia’s relations with the wider world, I believe it would only be right and proper for your party to cease accepting donations from parties so closely connected to President Putin, and go one step further in returning all monies donated to the Conservative Party in Ms Chernukhin’s name at the earliest possible opportunity.”

Mr McDonald called for clarity on whether the Russian ever met Ms Davidson following reports that Ms Chernukhin paid £20,000 to win a meal in Edinburgh with the Scottish Tory leader.

A Conservative Party spokesperson said: “The Conservative Party does not accept foreign donations – as they are illegal. There are people in this country of Russian origin, such as Ms Chernukhin, who are British citizens and if they are able to vote in an election for a political party, they also have the democratic right to donate to a political party.

“Donations to the Conservative Party are received in good faith, after appropriate due diligence. They are properly and transparently declared to the Electoral Commission, published by them, and comply fully with the law.”