Boris Johnson rejects call to give Tory donation from Russian banker to Ukraine causes

The prime minister was pressed about donations from Lubov Chernukhin, wife of a former minister in Vladimir Putin’s government

Boris Johnson has rejected a call to donate £2 million handed to the Tory party by a Russian banker to Ukraine humanitarian causes.

At prime minister's questions Mr Johnson was asked by Labour MP Bill Esterson whether he would hand over the £2 million – the most recent £80,000 of which was revealed just today.

But the prime minister appeared to reject the call, telling MPs the UK's quarrel with Vladimir Putin was "not about the Russian people".

Lubov Chernukhin – wife of a former minister in Vladimir Putin’s government – handed the Tories the cash as recently as the final months of 2021, according to the Electoral Commission's figures.

The dual national former banker had become one of the most prominent Russia-linked figures in politics due to her large donations to the Conservative party.

It was previously revealed that Ms Chernukhin's husband Vladimir Chernukhin received millions of pounds from a Russian MP and ally of Vladimir Putin who appears on the US sanctions list.

Speaking on Wednesday Mr Esterson asked: "Will the Prime Minister instruct the Conservative Party to give to Ukrainian humanitarian causes the £2 million Lubov Chernukhin. This includes £80,000 referred to in data released today by the Electoral Commission.

"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 $8 million from a Russian Member of Parliament, an ally of Putin, who was later sanctioned by the United States.

"Mr Speaker, this is an opportunity for the Conservative Party and for the Prime Minister, to end the suspicion of conflicts of interest with Putin while showing solidarity with the Ukrainian people."

But Mr Johnson rebuffed the suggestion, telling the MP "It is absolutely vital, 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. This is about the Putin regime."

In response to a later question the prime minister said: "I do hope that those who have any links with the Putin regime, whatever, any so-called Oligarchs, all those that are in any way associated with the regime, take this opportunity as some brave individuals already have, to disassociate themselves from this barbaric invasion.

Boris Johnson’s press secretary was asked whether the Tories would return any money if a party donor appeared on the sanctions list. She called it a “hypothetical question” and said there were checks in place on donations made to UK political parties.

Foreign Office minister James Cleverly recently defended donations by Ms Chernukhin, saying: “She has every right to donate to us or any other political party.”

The senior Tory told LBC all Conservative donors “are registered, are legitimate” and suggested Russia-linked donors “support our aims or objectives.”

Asked on BBC Breakfast if she was embarrassed to have attended a diner with Ms Chernukhin, foreign secretary Liz Truss replied: “No I am not.”