George Soros has faced a lifetime antisemitism

GEORGE SOROS has responded to accusations of masterminding a “secret plot” to influence British politics by donating at least £130,000 more than his originally planned £400,000 support for efforts to reverse Brexit.

A Daily Telegraph article last week revealing Mr Soros’ involvement, coauthored last week by Theresa May’s former chief of staff Nick Timothy, drew consternation for appearing to evoke antisemitic tropes of shadowy Jewish influence.

The newspaper described the Hungarian currency speculator and philanthropist as “a rich gambler… accused of meddling in nations’ affairs”. It was followed by an online article in the Sun which accused him of being a “puppet master”.

Mr Soros, best known for his role in the Black Wednesday run on the pound in 1992, told the Guardian that his additional contribution was a direct response to “those who have tried to use a smear campaign, not arguments, to prop up their failing case”.

The Daily Telegraph reported that the 87-year-old is a donor to Best for Britain, the campaign group which aims to reverse Brexit.

This week the Open Society Foundation (OSF), to which Mr Soros has donated much of his personal wealth, announced it was to match a crowdfunding campaign set up in the wake of the negative media reports. As of Wednesday afternoon it had raised £136,000.

In recent years Mr Soros has been targeted by negative advertising campaigns by nationalist parties in Eastern Europe, many of which have been described as antisemitic.

A plan to match anti-Brexit crowdfund effort