Banks scoffs at ‘Russia’ probe
BREXIT campaign donor Arron Banks yesterday denied claims that his push to get Britain out of the EU accepted money from Russia.
The prominent Ukip supporter spoke out after the Electoral Commission launched a probe into allegations that he breached campaign donation rules in the run-up to last year’s referendum.
The watchdog pledged to examine whether Mr Banks was the “true source” of three loans worth £6million to the anti-Brussels Leave.EU organisation that he helped launch.
It was also looking at the role played by Better for the Country Limited, a company he set up.
In a tweet after the Commission’s announcement, businessman Mr Banks joked: “Gosh, I’m terrified.”
The Commission made no reference to any allegations about campaign groups taking cash from Russia.
But in the Commons yesterday, a Labour MP linked Mr Banks with a US probe into claims Moscow interfered in last year’s presidential election.
Backbencher Ben Bradshaw asked PM Theresa May about “significant British connections” being uncovered by US Department of Justice special counsel Robert Mueller. Mr Bradshaw was understood to be referring to allegations published by The Guardian newspaper that Russian funds were used to help fund the Brexit campaign.
Mrs May said the issue of Russian intervention was taken “very seriously” and that Britain would cooperate with America “when required”.
But Mr Banks hit back with a statement rubbishing the suggestion of Brexitfunding links with Russia.
He said: “What, another one?! The Guardian allegations of Brexit being funded by the Russians and propagated by Ben Bradshaw are complete ********. My sole involvement with ‘the Russians’ was a boozy six-hour lunch with the ambassador where we drank the place dry and then wrote the account of the lunch in my book, The Bad Boys Of Brexit. Hardly top secret stuff!” Mr Banks said he believed a judgeled inquiry that investigated the main campaign groups, Vote Leave, Britain Stronger In Europe and Leave.EU, would “clear this nonsense up”. Bob Posner, the Electoral Commission’s director of political finance, said: “Questions over the legitimacy of funding provided to campaigners at the referendum risk harming voters’ confidence.” Duncan Hames of the pressure group Transparency International UK said: “It is imperative that there is a full and thorough investigation into the source of funds.” And Eloise Todd, of Best for Britain, said: “We are extremely concerned about credible reports of a deliberate effort by the Russian state to flood social media with lies and distortions about Brexit.”