Fury as prime Tory offers Roman Abramovich authorized help amid Ukraine ultimatum
Campaigners have voiced their fury after it emerged Tory shadow Attorney General is a member of Roman Abramovich’s legal team – days after the Government issued the oligarch an ultimatum
A Tory frontbencher has come under attack after it emerged he is acting as a lawyer for Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich.
The Ukraine Solidarity Campaign (USC) has voiced its alarm over Shadow Attorney General Lord David Wolfson’s role. The Government is pursuing former Chelsea owner Abramovich for more than £2.5billion, which would be used to benefit the people of Ukraine.
Abramovich is locked in a legal battle with the Jersey government, which is probing the source of more than £5.3 billion in assets linked to him which are held there. Earlier this month Keir Starmer issued an ultimatum to the billionaire – warning he would face legal action if he does not hand over the proceeds of the Chelsea sale.
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Lord Wolfson has been instructed in the Jersey case. It is understood Abramovich has argued the transfer of assets to benefit Ukraine cannot happen until proceedings in Jersey have concluded.
The USC wrote: “It is difficult to believe that a Shadow Cabinet member would take on such a case without the knowledge or approval of the party leadership .
“Are we seeing early indications that, ahead of any Trump–Putin attempt to impose an unjust peace on Ukraine, the Conservatives are preparing to return to “business as usual” with Russia? Is this laying the groundwork for a future alignment with Nigel Farage by normalising troubling attitudes of Reform UK toward Russia?”
The group called on the Government to pass emergency legislation to prevent sanctioned individuals from “exploiting the UK legal system to delay accountability”. It said: “The rights of victims of Russian aggression must come before the privileges of oligarchs.”
Abramovich sold the club in 2022 after he was sanctioned by the UK over his alleged ties to Vladimir Putin following the invasion of Ukraine.
The money was intended for humanitarian causes linked to the Ukraine war but it remains frozen in a UK bank account due to a standoff between Mr Abramovich’s lawyers and the Government. The oligarch, who made his money in oil and gas, wants it to be used for “all victims of the war” – meaning Russians could benefit.
In a letter to Tory leader Kemi Badenoch, Labour Justice Minister Jake Richards wrote: “As a paid representative of Mr Abramovich, he has a financial interest in the question of whether and when Mr Abramovich’s assets are transferred to benefit the people of Ukraine.”
He went on: “Lord Wolfson’s ability to advise you in respect of this matter is clearly compromised by the fact that he is being paid to act on behalf of Mr Abramovich. If he wants to continue to represent clients whose interests directly bear on the policies of the Government and HM Opposition that is a matter for him – but he cannot do it while serving in your Shadow Cabinet.”
“It is for him to decide, and for you to decide, which of these roles is more important.” Mr Richards also asked the Tory leader to clarify whether the Opposition was aligned with the Government position that Mr Abramovich must transfer more than £2.5 billion to benefit the people of Ukraine.
He wrote: “The cab rank rule (an ethical principle in which a barrister is required to accept any case in their field of expertise, regardless of who their client is) is an important principle which should always be respected, but it cannot remove conflicts of interest, or eliminate the responsibility of politicians to avoid such conflicts,” Mr Richards said in his letter to Mrs Badenoch.
“Lord Wolfson’s ability to advise you in respect of this matter is clearly compromised by the fact that he is being paid to act on behalf of Mr Abramovich.”
The Tories said Lord Wolfson is not instructed on the matter of Chelsea FC and branded Labour’s attack “pure politics.” A Conservative party spokesman said: “Lord Wolfson is instructed in on-going legal proceedings in Jersey. He is not instructed on the Chelsea FC matter.
“Jake Richards’ comments are pure politics, and they show Labour still does not understand how the Bar works. Barristers act for clients, not causes. And it’s a bit rich from this Government. Labour should stop throwing mud. Their own Attorney General has acted for Gerry Adams and involved himself in the Shamima Begum case. This is rank hypocrisy.
“The Conservative Party led the way on supporting Ukraine and we remain committed to their cause. To suggest anything else is just Labour sinking to new depths.”
