Tories branded ‘pathetic’ as minister rips aside Kemi Badenoch over Roman Abramovich row
The Tories have been branded ‘pathetic’ after attempting to defend one of their frontbenchers acting as a lawyer for Russian oligarch and former Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich
The Tories have been branded “pathetic” after attempting to defend one of their frontbenchers acting as a lawyer for Russian oligarch and former Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich.
Justice minister Jake Richards savaged the Conservative party and said shadow attorney general David Wolfson’s role in Abramovich’s legal battle was a “clear conflict of interest”.
He said Kemi Badenoch’s “desperate defence” of the issue showed her opinion and leadership is “really weak”. And he said Lord Wolfson should step down from his shadow cabinet role if he continues to represent Abramovich. It comes after the Tories branded Labour’s attack “pure politics”.
It emerged earlier this week that Lord Wolfson has been instructed in Abramovich’s legal battle with the Jersey government, which is probing the source of more than £5.3billion in assets linked to him which are held there.
Separately, the Government is pursuing former Chelsea owner Abramovich for more than £2.5billion, which would be used to benefit the people of Ukraine.
READ MORE: Fury as top Tory gives Roman Abramovich legal support amid Ukraine ultimatum
Earlier this month, Keir Starmer issued an ultimatum to the billionaire – warning he would face legal action if he does not cough up £2.5billion from the sale of the Chelsea club to help Ukraine. But it is understood Abramovich has argued the transfer of assets to benefit Ukraine cannot happen until proceedings in Jersey have concluded.
Mr Richards, who on Monday night sent a letter to Ms Badenoch demanding answers, said he agrees with Lord Wolfson’s previous comments that a surgeon should not be judged by their patients, nor a lawyer by their clients. But he said the issue is not about him representing Abramovich, per se, but that he is doing so while advising Ms Badenoch on the Tories’ Russia-Ukraine position.
“Picture the scene. There’s a Shadow Cabinet meeting, Kemi Badenoch asks for views about what the Conservative Party policy should be on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, on sanctioned individuals and about reclaiming some of these assets,” Mr Richards told Times Radio.
“She goes around the room, and at the same time, Lord Wolfson is getting paid by Roman Abramovich to represent his interest in litigation on this very subject. There could not be a clearer conflict of interest.
“The fact that they are trying to desperately defend this position very late at night, yesterday evening, sending me a response to my letter, which didn’t answer any of the questions, by the way, shows just how pathetic their position is on this. And actually it shows Kemi Badenoch’s opinion and leadership is really weak.”
Asked whether Lord Wolfson – who is not an MP but serves in the shadow cabinet as a peer – should step down as shadow attorney general, Mr Richards said: “He just has to choose one or the other. It’s perfectly reasonable for him to represent Roman Abramovich, or he can act as Shadow Attorney General, but he cannot do both… There is a clear conflict of interest. Kemi Badenoch should take action. The fact that she’s not is actually quite remarkable.”
Mr Richards also praised Boris Johnson’s position on Ukraine, saying he has an “enormous amount of respect for the amount of work and effort that he put into Ukrainian war effort”. He questioned whether the former Tory PM would think it okay for a senior member of the Conservative Party team to be getting paid by Roman Abramovich.
The Ukraine Solidarity Campaign (USC) yesterday voiced its alarm over Lord Wolfson’s role, saying: “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 Chelsea football 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’s Mr 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.”
