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Watch: Javid defends Lebedev peerage as thread uncovers murky issues surrounding underfire Lord

Lebedev argued that: - MI6 may be to blame for Litvinenko’s poisoning - Putin’s annexation of Crimea was fault of 'far-right elements’ in Ukraine - Called on UK to ally with Putin.

Joe Mellor by Joe Mellor
2022-03-14 11:05
in News
Credit;PA

Credit;PA

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Boris Johnson was warned about granting a peerage to his close friend Evgeny Lebedev two years ago by British intelligence.

According to a report in the Sunday Times, the head of M16 held security concerns over the Russian oligarch – who has previously defended Vladimir Putin and expressed doubt over the murder of a Kremlin critic in London – as long as a decade ago.

Opposition leader Sir Keir Starmer expressed alarm over the article’s allegations and said he had written to the House of Lords Appointment Commission chair Lord Brew to raise concerns over the Prime Minister’s decision to grant Lord Lebedev a peerage.

In a statement to the PA news agency, the Labour leader questioned the judgement of Mr Johnson for nominating to the House of Lords “someone who has promoted the worst conspiracy theories and defences of Vladimir Putin”.

Sir Keir, the former Director of Public Prosecutions, accused the Prime Minister of disregarding the security service’s “serious reservations” about Lord Lebedev.

He added: “My thoughts in particular are with (the widow of poisoned Russian defector Alexander Litvinenko) Marina Litvinenko who knows first-hand the evils of Putin.

“Rather than stand in solidarity with her, the PM has forced her to witness him giving a peerage to someone who suggested her husband could have been murdered by MI6.”

Thread

Boris Johnson’s own views seemed to mirror Lebedev's.

In November 2015 Lebedev wrote a piece arguing that: "Britain must make Vladimir Putin an ally” in Syria.

Weeks later Johnson wrote a very similar piece arguing that the UK must ally with Putin. https://t.co/B7se0LMuYI

— Adam Bienkov (@AdamBienkov) March 12, 2022

Lebedev built his relationship with Boris Johnson over many years.

He paid to fly Johnson to annual parties at his Italian villa.

Johnson in turn ignored security service advice not to hand a peerage to Lebedev, who is the son of a former Russian spy.https://t.co/B7se0LMuYI

— Adam Bienkov (@AdamBienkov) March 12, 2022

Boris Johnson’s private office diaries reveal he repeatedly met with Lebedev for drinks, dinners and parties.

His flights to Lebedev’s Italian palace were kept out of the diaries with his spokesman insisting the trips were “purely personal”. https://t.co/B7se0LMuYI pic.twitter.com/tVwvW9RQj9

— Adam Bienkov (@AdamBienkov) March 12, 2022

Boris Johnson held meeting to discuss Lebedev's plan for a new Russian arts festival with the aim of "transforming global perceptions" of Russia.

Lebedev asked BJ to fund it but said he would seek "further substantial support from the Russian government" https://t.co/B7se0LMuYI

— Adam Bienkov (@AdamBienkov) March 12, 2022

Javid

Kay Burley asked Sajid Javid about the matter: “You tweeted that Evgeny Lebedev was a 1st generation immigrant that Britain can be very proud of… do you still think that?

Sajid Javid replied: “we can be proud of people that have settled in the UK.

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Burley then asked if he should keep his lordship. and he simply replied ‘yes,’

#KayBurley – You tweeted that Evgeny Lebedev was a 1st generation immigrant that Britain can be very proud of… do you still think that?

Sajid Javid – we can be proud of people that have settled in the UK…

KB – Should he keep his lordship?

Sajid Javid – Yes pic.twitter.com/huHIwcK7ZV

— Haggis_UK 🇬🇧 🇪🇺 (@Haggis_UK) March 14, 2022

Mr Javid was asked on BBC Breakfast whether he would consider hosting refugees in his home.

“I’m starting to have a conversation with my wife on that and I think many households – as you say, and I’m pleased you brought this up – are probably thinking about this across the country,” he said.

“It’s important that anyone that becomes a host, that they can fulfil the obligations of a host, that they can spend time with these families and help, but there are many ways that we can all help and whatever I do at a personal level, I will most certainly be helping.”

Related: ‘Putin go f*** yourself:’ Squatters move into oligarch’s London mansion

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