Markov/Litvinenko 2.0

rancidpunk

Yes. Corbyn is determined to carry on on there. I'd be interested to know who else is.

tapzilla2k

Sonic67

Multiple MP's have appeared on Russia today. I believe it's only been revealed that the Tory Party has taken Russian money in significant amounts (via the Sunday Times).

Oligarchs are only wealthy due to Putin who controls the Russian state. Those Oligarchs who fall out with Putin don't fare so well in the long run.

He fumbled a pertinent question about the Tories accepting cash from Russians who may or may not be linked to Putin. Some will be, and some have fallen out with him. What I don't like are the Tories selling access to the PM and other ministers to the highest bidder to fill party coffers. That practise should be banned for all parties, it's a national security risk.  

Putin is the source of the Oligarchs wealth and he controls the Russian state. Kills his enemies when he chooses and doesn't fear the consequences when his enemies are killed in foreign states. There have been a spate of murders of Putin's enemies in the US. Not as overt as what's happened in the UK and not widely reported outside of buzzfeed news and other sources. I know at least one person who understands Russia infinitely better than all of us here, given they escaped from the Soviet Union as a child and has no love towards Putin.


They are connected to the Russian state in one way or another. You have to remember that the Oligarchs did not become as wealthy as they have done without Putin allowing it. Some are his enemies and others are a loyal part of Putin's regime, which is mafia like in how it operates.

Russian influence over UK politics is a lot bigger than most would think, but that's a subject for another day.

EarthRod

And? Did you miss this post?
Rich Russian businessmen would rather have Conservatives in power than a hard left socialist Labour party. Who knew?
And?
So is a leader of the opposition who meets with acknowledged spies but apparently that's ok as it's "just a chat, nothing to see there."

Rich men give money to the Conservatives, Labour gets money from unions.

Enki

Two points:

1. When did Corbyn, as leader of the Labour Party, meet acknowledged spies?

2. In the 1980s he met one diplomat who was also a spy, when did he meet other spies?

Sonic67

Rich Russians certainly do give the Conservatives some money.

Philip Hammond refuses plea from Litvinenko's widow for Tories to pay back more than £800,000 of donations from Russian oligarchs

Mrs Litvinenko who is quoted in article is widowed wife of Mr Litvinenko, the one whose state sanctioned murder required 3 judges to tell former Home secretary Theresa May to investigate by public inquiry, who basically summerised Mays position not to investigate as irrational! I'm not just smelling smoke I can see the warm glow of fire...
Judges tell Theresa May to think again on Alexander Litvinenko decision

Sonic67

Your answering the first question with the second.

Corbyn's "defence" is along the lines of, he met lots of people and some of them may have been spies.

Here's how he's going down at the moment.
Row over Corbyn's Russia spy response

Enki

There are numerous investigations that can be done. Litvineko's wife went to court to make sure it was a public one. At the time the government was going off the coroners inquest.

Compare with Labour who'd just seem to prefer chatting.

Sonic67

Yet the high court judges summoned up Mays decision not to hold a public inquiry “deficiencies” in her reasoning are “so substantial”.  That is pretty strong legal speak to tell her to hold public inquiry.

I would hate to think Mays original decision not to hold a public inquiry was for other reasons, it would be terrible to think that a British party and government would direct UK natural justice for their own nefarious financial purposes.

Enki

But it could explain why the Tories reacted with such fury yesterday, are they are feeling guilty something to hide?