THE Prime Minister is allowing a “sewer of dirty Russian money” to run in Britain because oligarchs donate to the Tory party, it has been claimed.
Boris Johnson cannot be trusted to “clean up” Britain’s relationship with Russian oligarchs if he cannot do it in the Tory party, Ian Blackford said.
The SNP’s Westminster leader took Johnson to task over large donations from Kremlin-linked business owners to the Conservative Party.
READ MORE: Boris Johnson TWICE links Alex Salmond to SNP in 'unacceptable' remarks
He said “close ties” between the Conservative Party and Russian money was preventing stronger sanctions from being introduced on Vladimir Putin’s government and the country’s economy.
The Tories will not act on cracking down fully on wealthy Russian business owners because of their links to the Conservative Party, Blackford said.
He told how he had met with the Prime Minister five years ago to discuss the issue of limited partnership.
But there was “no action then” and “no action now”, according to the SNP MP.
Wealthy donors with ties to Putin’s regime were being actively “encouraged” into Britain on Westminsters’ watch, Blackford said.
“The truth is, Russian oligarchs who give the right people in power a golden handshake have been welcomed into London for years.
“Plenty of these golden handshakes happened to find their way into the coffers of the Conservative Party - £2.3 million since the Conservatives took office.”
He demanded the Tories give up the millions they had received from Russian donors.
READ MORE: Liz Truss exposed in BBC car-crash interview on Russian money
Johnson insisted all Conservative Party donors were registered to vote in the UK.
He pledged the Government would take further action to "uncloak" the "true owners" of Russian businesses and properties in the UK, which could be used to lauder money.
During a more collegiate interaction with the Leader of the Opposition Keir Starmer, Johnson was urged to bring forward “even more” against Russia.
He said: “A sovereign nation has been invaded.
“The Prime Minister promised that in the event of an invasion he would unleash a full package of sanctions. If not now, then when?”
Johnson replied: “I don’t think people quite realise the UK is out in front, we have sanctioned 275 individuals already.
“Yesterday we announced measures that place banks worth £37 billion under sanctions in addition to more oligarchs.
"There is more to come and we will be stopping Russia from raising sovereign debt, stopping companies from raising money and stopping Russian companies … even clearing in sterling and dollars on international markets.”
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