Boris Johnson fought to save partner's 80k job at Tory HQ when she Labour Leader Keir Starmer has asked whether Britain should ban television channel RT (formerly Russia Today). Symonds worked as a Conservative Party media official and an environmental activist, and remains a senior advisor to the ocean conservation charity Oceana, and is a patron of the Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation. In December 2012 it claimed victory in its campaign (as the newly formed Westminster Russia Forum [6] as the Prime Minister David Cameron announced that a new medal would be created. Chernukhins husband served as a Russian minister in 2000, during Putins first presidential term. Ernest Reid, billed on the WRF website as its ambassador at large, has provided commentary for Russia Today and the WRF sympathetic to Russian foreign ministry objectives. As the report states: The extent to which Russian expatriates are using their access to UK businesses and politicians to exert influence in the UK is ***. The committees asterisks cover a multitude of sins. To complete the set, Firtashs charity front, the Firtash Foundation, had Jack Wakefield as a director for a time. But we can't do it without you. Guests included the then Tory staffer Carrie Symonds (now the Prime Minister's wife) and senior Conservative politicians such as John Whittingdale. pamela.sammons on Twitter: "It does indeed, most relevant given his But that pales in comparison to the estimated price tag on Witanhurst, often referred to as Britains most expensive home. 23 Apr 2023 07:27:08 The Whittingdale-Firtash connection made his reappointment last summer to the DCMS (albeit at the lower peg as Minister of State as opposed to Secretary of State) by new Prime Minister Boris Johnson all the more surprising. Lubov Chernukhin is biggest female donor in the history of Conservative Party She has a reputation for making big bids to have dinner or play sport with Tories Alexander Temerko, former chief of. In March 2014, Austrian authorities arrested Firtash on a multi-million bribery rap sought by the FBI. [6], In 2007, aged 19, Symonds was driven home from a King's Road nightclub by taxi-driver John Worboys, who in 2009 was convicted of multiple sexual assaults on his passengers. Oliver Pieper. The dam broke first with a piece by Nick Mutch on Byline.com, setting out Whittingdales non-registration of a trip with King to the MTV Awards in Amsterdam. His MEPs have consistently voted down sanctions packages for Russia over its invasion of eastern Ukraine. John Whittingdale MP and Carrie Symonds, then a young Tory party worker and now Johnsons fiancee, were among the guests. It has an active Twitter feed, echoing official lines from Kremlin-funded organisations although it has been uncharacteristically silent since Putins movement this week of recognising the separatist Peoples Republics of Donetsk and Luhansk in the east of Ukraine, and since the start of todays invasion. [45] She was also influential in making sure that Lee Cain did not get a job as the prime minister's chief of staff,[46] and urged Boris Johnson to fire environment secretary George Eustice from his role. Ms Symonds previously worked as head of press at Conservative Campaign Headquarters. Perhaps the most high-profile London-based oligarch, thanks to his 140m purchase of Chelsea Football Club in 2003, is Roman Abramovich. There is always an in-crowd of top-notch aides and these days, they range from Josh Grimstone, 28, the photogenic, waspish protg of Carrie Symonds, now an adviser to Michael Gove.Grimstone's . ", The group was launched in August 2012[2] at the Russian Embassy in London. According to its chairman, Dominic Grieve, Boris Johnson personally blocked for bogus reasons the imminent publication of a cross-party report on Russia meddling in UK politics by Parliaments Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC). Udod was invited to a drinks party hosted by Banks on the night of the shock EU Referendum result in June 2016. [2][8], In July 2019, Johnson became prime minister and both he and Symonds officially moved into the flat above 11 Downing Street. He later left Moscow and became a British citizen in 2011. It has been valued at more than 300m after extensive refurbishment. The problem is that Russias security services have no such scruples and that the Russian President Vladimir Putin has form when he was head of the KGB for identifying then Russias Prosecutor-General as the man in bed with two prostitutes on a grainy video. The legendary oil dealmaker and former BP boss Lord Browne is executive chair of billionaire Mikhaeil Fridmans Letter One Energy group, which has a one-third stake in the oil and gas company Wintershall DEA. Event attendees have included Carrie Johnson, the Conservative Partys former head of communications and now the prime ministers wife. Is Whittingdale vulnerable? In 2018, he sold a majority stake in Waterstones to a hedge fund. The group described itself as "an organisation created for those with an interest in Russian politics, business, history and culture, with the aim of strengthening relations between the British and Russian communities and informing political decision making within both countries. Raffle prizes included a biography of Putin and bottles of vodka. The former banker turns down interview requests and has not publicly explained why she has given the Conservative party more than 1.7m. Firtash posted 105 million bail money, the largest get-out-jail note in Austrian history. Carrie Johnson: Age, job, children & everything else to know | Marie Deripaska attracted public attention in 2008 over claims that he discussed making a donation to the Tories with George Osborne, during a meeting held aboard his yacht in the Mediterranean. Brian Latham reports on the intelligence leak that reveals the extent of Putin's plan to create a 'confederation' of friendly states across the Sahel through his proxy Prigozhin, Sam Bright reveals how the Russian Ambassador to the UK claimed the owner of the Independent and Evening Standard had much contributed to strengthening Russian-British relations, Mark Temnycky looks at the turbulence in Tbilisi, Georgians desire to join the EU, and the authoritarian drift of the ruling Dream Party, Sunak's warm welcome of the far right Italian Prime Minister exposes the increasingly authoritarian direction of his own Government, reports Adam Bienkov, Natalia Kogut and Maren Rohe explore the challenges Ukrainian refugees face accessing healthcare, housing and work under the Government's Homes for Ukraine scheme, We need a diverse media landscape that recognises the added responsibility of operating in a post-conflict society, writes Emma DeSouza, Byline Media Holdings Ltd, Byline Times &, Russia Rolls Out the Red Carpet for Tommy Robinson, Wagner in Africa: Russias Other Empire in the Making Bloodier than Ukraine, Georgian Government Drops Foreign Agents Bill, but the Fight Against Kremlin Influence Continues, Rishi Sunaks New Far-Right Ally and the International Authoritarian Elite, Stereotyped and Belittled: Ukrainians Suffer from UK Asylum Policy, Shifting Political Landscape on Island of Ireland Requires More Cross-Border Journalism. He has received 24,500, according to Electoral Commission filings. Receive our monthly print edition and help to support fearless, independent journalism. Caroline Louise Beavan Johnson [3] [4] [5] ( ne Symonds; born 17 March 1988) is a British media consultant and the wife of former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson. That same month, Tymofienko was photographed with another ex-Soviet oligarch, Alexander Temerko, and Conservative minister Philip Hammond at the Tory Party conference in Birmingham. Decorating Scandal Engulfs Boris Johnson and Puts Fiance in Spotlight SW1's real power players: the secret lives of spads - Evening Standard Had Russia paid for a social media campaign of this scale, the committee estimated, it would have cost between 1.4 and 4.14 million. All have homes in London, with several visiting regularly from Moscow. He would not be drawn on whether the Kremlin had interfered in the EU referendum vote in support of Leave, but said that he opposed Brexit. Temerko has given more than 1.3m to the Conservative party. The couple have an 8m London mansion, owned by an offshore trust, a jet and two yachts. If you can, please show your appreciation for our free content by donating whatever you think is fair to help keep TLE growing and support real, independent, investigative journalism. Johnson attended Lebedevs 60th birthday party the day after winning Decembers general election. Conservative UK: Think tank calls for probe into Carrie Symonds' role Matthew Elliott was a founding member. (modern). This breach was referred to the National Crime Agency by the Information Commissioner, Elisabeth Denham. Lucas, a journalist who was involved in calls to dissolve the Conservative Friends of Russia in 2013, has called its return a mushroom sprouting on top of a compost heap. What is disturbing is just how often he has been the recipient of the generosity of a Soviet-born oligarch, Dmytro Firtash, currently being sought by the FBI for corruption charges. As he recounts in his memoir, Hunt the Banker, the KGB approached Lebedev in his final year at university in Moscow. He wrote: He snaps, my current girlfriend isnt Russian, shes Lithuanian.. It was active in the campaign calling on the UK Foreign Office to allow British Arctic Veterans of World War Two to receive the Russian Ushakov Medal. Call for inquiry into Carrie Symonds' influence in No 10 There are also slight partisan differences in the U.S. on the choice of a close relationship with Russia or Germany. Revealed: Boris, the Russian oligarch and the Page 3 model Hawley added: Friends of groups of political parties are alarmingly unregulated, and provide a back door for unofficial lobbying, access and paid influence. Long before she became Boris's girlfriend, Carrie - a former spad (special adviser) who became head of communications for the Conservative Party - had a strong network in SW1. ", He also stressed that the forum was now non-partisan despite its Conservative roots, and said: "We rarely meet anyone from Parliament, our civil service or other political institutions, and have for some years now focused on promoting trade and softer areas of cooperation none of which requires lobbying. The WRF is one of a number of so-called Conservative friends of groups that have tried to draw in high-profile MPs. [3] The group's launch gained mixed reviews in the media from proponents and opponents of the conservatives, with some journalists questioning its neutrality.[4]. This group was launched in the Russian Embassys gardens in August 2012 by Yakovenko and Nalobin, and attended by senior Conservatives such as the then chair of the DCMS Committee, and soon-to-be Culture Minister, John Whittingdale, who was the groups honorary vice president. Boris Johnson's girlfriend and Tory PR guru, set to join new prime minister in 10 Downing Street", "Carrie Symonds: Who is Boris Johnson's fiancee? In contrast to Temerko, Chernukhin keeps a low public profile. Oliver continued: When Caroline Preston, No 10s head of broadcast, hears us talking about the Albanian model she jokes: Oh no! After that meeting, Farage made almost monthly appearances on RT. [24][25], Symonds became the Conservative Party's head of communications in 2018,[26] but left the position later that year,[17] taking up a job in public relations for the Oceana project. They include Alexander Temerko, a former Russian junior defence minister, and Lubov Chernukhin, a financier whose husband Vladimir served in Putins cabinet as deputy finance minister. To return to Keir Starmers question, should Britain ban RT? Symonds, a former Conservative head of communications, played a significant role in tearing down Johnson's old Number 10 and in advising the prime minister on how to put together a new one. In 2012, Burnside took a Russian embassy diplomat, Sergei Nalobin, to a Conservative party fundraising dinner. She was a similar age and lived close to me. [61] This story was removed from the paper after No. Whittingdales love-in with Firtash is a sorry tale. The connections between Putins anti-EU agenda and Brexit politicians go much deeper. 7 major Russian PHILOSOPHERS you should know - Russia Beyond The DCMS is the lead department for policing our digital frontier and Whittingdale is in charge of its international strategy. Jacks sister Mary is married to the Prime Ministers chief advisor, Dominic Cummings. All have homes in London, with several visiting regularly from Moscow. Shortly afterwards, Sir Malcolm Rifkind, who had served as a minister under Prime Ministers Margaret Thatcher and John Major, and was then chairman of the Intelligence and Security Committee, resigned from the group, saying he had been unhappy for some time about the group's behaviour and "political direction". Nicholas Cobb, chairman of the (now) Westminster Russia Forum, wrote to supporters saying that it is with a great regret and sadness that the group is to be shut down. Carrie Symonds and the inside story behind the Downing Street flat scandal. Spouse of the prime minister of the United Kingdom, 2010 London Conservative Party mayoral selection, Communities, Local Government and Housing Secretary, refurbishment of the 11 Downing Street flat, "Under new management: is Carrie Symonds the real power at No 10? PM accused of cover-up over report on Russian meddling in UK politics Ah, Carrie "Conservative Friends of Russia" Symonds - Twitter ", "Tory pro-Russia lobbying group disbands", "Conservative Friends of Russia group disbands with immediate effect", "Who is Carrie Symonds? Mamut owns extensive media assets in Russia, including the news website Lenta.ru. Whittingdale was honorary vice-president of Conservative Friends of Russia until it was disbanded. The WRF has hosted events with Tory MPs such as Daniel Kawczynski, Caroline Nokes, John Redwood and John Whittingdale, as well as Labours former foreign secretary Jack Straw. New to Byline Times? He endowed Oxford University by spending 75m to found the Blavatnik School of Government. The Russia Report is scathing about the power of Moscow gold to win the hearts and minds of corrupt British figures, but the evidence remains in the shadows. [31], Symonds was one of fourteen women who testified against Worboys at his trial. Conservative Friends of Russia has been disbanded with "immediate effect" following the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Nigel Farages former party UKIP has been a strong supporter of Russia for over a decade. [6][7] She began an affair with Johnson, then Foreign Secretary, in 2018 while he was still married to his second wife, Marina Wheeler. The WRFs multilateral forum events have grown from 50 attendees at the first in 2015 to 170 in 2020, which drew 47 speakers on UK-Russia relations, and was overwhelmingly effusive on the need for strong ties with the Putin regime. Direct party funding is only the tip of the iceberg. The Kremlins attempts tointervene continue. Sergei Roldugin appeared in the Panama Papers. E.g. Barker and Deripaska are not the only peer and oligarch double-act on the UK business scene. In 2014, Whittingale was photographed in Ukrainian fancy dress in London with Maria Tymofienko, who styled herself in emails as Assistant to John WhittingdaleMP Chair All-Party ParliamentaryGroup on Ukraine. To donate or subscribe to The London Economic, click here. The Conservatives have received more than 3m from wealthy Soviet-born donors all of whom can legally give money to the party as British citizens. Two years later, at the UKIP Conference in October 2015, a senior embassy official, Alexander Udod, approached Farages new funder, Arron Banks, and invited him to meet the Russian Ambassador too. Whittingdale was for a time a director of the BUS, as was DFs former CEO, Robert Shetler-Jones. Lets examine the record of John Whittingdale, the Minister for Media and Data within the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), responsible for defending us against Russias propaganda machine. Craig Oliver, David Camerons spin doctor, takes up the story in his surprisingly good book, Unleashing Demons: I am almost home that evening when I get a call from John Whittingdales Special Adviser, Carrie Symonds Carrie has already drafted a statement which includes the following: Between August 2013 and February 2014, I had a relationship with someone who I first met through Match.com. Our leading investigations include: empire & the culture war,Brexit, crony contracts,Russian interference,the Coronavirus pandemic,democracy in danger, andthe crisis in British journalism. I feel so angry that he pleaded not guilty and made us go through the pain of giving evidence in court". Nalobin, who now lives in a Moscow apartment block known as the FSB block, is the son of Nikolai Nalobin, a former KGB general. A conservative think tank has called for an independent inquiry into Boris Johnson's fiance, Carrie Symonds, and her "possible influence" in government. We support the people of Ukraine and continue to stand with the people of Russia this war is not in their name and we will continue to support them in their time of need.. One of Burnsides employees is Alex Nekrassov, whose late father Alexander was a Kremlin adviser and hardline Putin apologist. But Companies House records show it merely changed its. As Otto English has confirmed on Byline Times, his visits to Lebedevs infamous Tuscan parties on one occasion as Foreign Secretary without his security detail have spooked the spooks. If you can afford to contribute a small donation to the site it will help us to continue our work in the best interests of the public. A new type of newspaper independent, fearless, outside the system. Its 2012 launch party took place in the Russian ambassadors Kensington garden. [39][40] In July 2021, she announced that they were expecting their second child together, also revealing that she had suffered a miscarriage earlier that year. Socialmissfit on Twitter: "RT @WriterJackWhite: In 2012 Johnson's [60][61] After senior aide Ben Gascoigne threatened to resign if she was appointed, the proposal was dropped.