A Conservative Party member in a prominent position is facing criticism for serving as a legal representative for Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich. The Ukraine Solidarity Campaign (USC) has expressed concerns about Lord David Wolfson, the Shadow Attorney General, representing Abramovich. The UK government is seeking over £2.5 billion from Abramovich for the benefit of Ukraine.
Abramovich is currently entangled in a legal dispute with the Jersey government regarding the source of more than £5.3 billion in assets linked to him. Recently, Keir Starmer issued a warning to Abramovich, demanding the transfer of proceeds from the Chelsea sale. Lord Wolfson is involved in the Jersey case and Abramovich insists that the asset transfer for Ukraine must wait until the Jersey proceedings conclude.
The USC has raised questions about the Tory member’s involvement in the case, suggesting possible implications for UK-Russia relations and alignment with certain political figures. They have urged the government to introduce emergency measures to prevent sanctioned individuals from exploiting the legal system to delay accountability.
Abramovich sold Chelsea FC in 2022 after facing sanctions over alleged ties to Vladimir Putin following the Ukrainian invasion. The funds from the sale, earmarked for humanitarian purposes related to the conflict, are currently frozen in a UK bank account due to disputes between Abramovich’s legal team and the government. The Labour Justice Minister has written to Tory leader Kemi Badenoch, highlighting concerns about conflicts of interest in Lord Wolfson’s role as a paid representative of Abramovich.
In response, the Tories defended Lord Wolfson, emphasizing that he is not involved in the Chelsea FC matter and dismissing Labour’s accusations as politically motivated. They stressed that barristers represent clients, not causes, and accused Labour of hypocrisy. The Conservative Party reaffirmed its support for Ukraine and criticized Labour for insinuating otherwise.