Litvinenko widow warns Tories over Russian donations - Guardian

Litvinenko widow warns Tories over Russian donations

Marina Litvinenko says party risks tainting its reputation in light of Sergei Skripal poisoning

Haroon Siddique

Mon 12 Mar 2018 03.29 AEDT Last modified on Mon 12 Mar 2018 09.00 AEDT

Marina Litvinenko

Marina Litvinenko. Photograph: Jonathan Brady/PA

The Conservative party is facing pressure to return Russian donations after the attempted murder of the former Russian spy Sergei Skripal on British soil.

Marina Litvinenko, the widow of another former Russian spy, Alexander Litvinenko, whose murder is believed to have been carried out under the direction of Russia’s FSB spy agency, said the Tories risked tainting their reputation if they held on to the cash.

Labour MPs should not appear on Russia Today, says John McDonnell

“You need to be very accurate where this money came from before you accept this money,” she told Sky News. “If you identify it’s dirty money [you’re] just not allowed to accept it because I think reputation is very important. [The] reputation of the Conservative party in the UK and all around the world needs to be clear.”

The that Russian oligarchs and their associates had registered donations of £826,100 to the Tories since Theresa May entered No 10.

A spokesman said: “All donations to the Conservative party are properly and transparently declared to the Electoral Commission, published by them and comply fully with the law.”

Litvinenko accused May of failing to act to prevent a reoccurrence of the type of attack to which her husband fell victim.

The home secretary, Amber Rudd, has said it is too early to say who is responsible for the attack on Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, but fingers have been pointed at the Kremlin.

May, as home secretary, wrote to Litvinenko after the public inquiry into her husband’s death concluded in 2016. The inquiry found that Vladimir Putin and his top spy chief had “probably approved” her husband’s murder. In the letter, May vowed: “We will take every step to protect the UK and its people from such a crime ever being repeated.”

Litvinenko said: “We received very strong words after meeting in 2016 and I believed something would be done, but we can see nothing was done.”

The steps she wants the prime minister to take include bringing in a British equivalent of the Magnitsky act, US legislation that bans Russian individuals from entering the country and blocks their assets.

Labour tried earlier this month to introduce Magnitsky amendments to the sanctions and anti-money laundering bill in the House of Lords.

Speaking on the BBC’s Andrew Marr show, the shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, said the Tories had rejected the suggested clauses for “technical reasons” and urged the government to work with the opposition to implement them.

“What Magnitsky does is it identifies those individuals who are basically found guilty of human rights abuses. In particular it prevents them then operating or having bank accounts in our country and it effectively closes down all cooperation with them. Now, I think that could be remarkably effective,” he said.

On the same programme, the chancellor, Phillip Hammond claimed the amendments created a power the government already had but he suggested a compromise was possible.

“It’s not strictly necessary but we’re seeking to reach an accommodation with those who have put this amendment forward,” he said. “Let’s see if we come to a proposal which works for everybody.”