Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Roman axes Chelsea £1bn stadium plan
CHELSEA yesterday scrapped plans for a new £1billion stadium, a week after owner Roman Abramovich was effectively barred from Britain.
The West London club were poised to renovate Stamford Bridge into a 60,000 seat arena.
But it said: “No further pre-construction design and planning work will occur.
“The club has no time frame for reconsideration of its decision. The decision was made due to the current unfavourable investment climate.”
Russian billionaire Abramovich, 51, is unable to enter Britain as he waits to have his visa renewed.
He is reported to have taken Israeli citizenship.
Chelsea would not say whether the stadium axe was linked to his visa block. the money straightaway. The very least they can do is return this now.”
Labour Party chairman Ian Lavery added: “It smacks of hypocrisy for Theresa May to accept tens of thousands of pounds from a donor with links to Putin’s regime on the same day she denounced the Kremlin over the Salisbury attack.
“The Tories need to come clean with the public about what checks they have made on the wealth amassed by their super-rich donors.”
It comes after we revealed two Tory peers – Lord Hague and Lord Barker – are both earning thousands of pounds a year from firms slammed by MPS over links to the Kremlin.
Lubov’s gift was on March 12, according to official records seen by the Mirror. That same day, Mrs May told the Commons it was “highly likely” Russia was behind the Skripal murder attempt because of its “record of conducting state sponsored assassinations” and viewing “defectors as legitimate targets”.
Former spy Sergei, 66, and 33-year-old Yulia were poisoned on March 4 with what the PM described as the “military grade nerve agent” Novichok. The pair have since recovered.
The Kremlin has always denied involvement. On March 14, Mrs May expelled 23 Russian diplomats.
When she took office in July 2016, the PM said it would not be “business as usual” with Russian donors amid growing tensions between Moscow and the West.
But her party has since received more than £800,000 from Russian-linked supporters.
Banker Lubov alone has donated more than £600,000 since 2010.
It is understood she has lived here for many years and is a British citizen. There is no suggestion she has no right to donate to the Tory party.
Lubov and Vladimir, who was Putin’s aide for two years, are believed to live in Chelsea, West London.
Her £50,000 donation on March 12 was only uncovered after a Mirror analysis of documents published by the Electoral Commission.
Downing Street declined to comment. A party spokesman said: “All donations are properly and transparently declared to the Electoral Commission, published by them, and comply fully with the law.”
Lubov could not be reached for comment last night.