Labour ‘must probe MP’s links to Russia and China’
SIR KEIR Starmer must launch an independent inquiry into a Labour MP’s ‘close connections’ to Russia, cross-party MPs have demanded.
Questions have also been raised over why Barry Gardiner’s son was signed by top Russian football club Zenit St Petersburg in 2016 when he had no professional experience.
Jacob Gabriel Gardiner-Smith is now back in the UK and since January has played for Hemel Hempstead Town.
Labour leader Sir Keir has been urged to suspend Mr Gardiner from the party until an investigation into his links to Russia and China has concluded.
Earlier this year, it emerged that Mr Gardiner allowed a Chinese spy to donate hundreds of thousands of pounds to his parliamentary office. Christine Lee was the director of several pro-Beijing pressure groups and gave the Brent North MP more than £400,000 for his staffing costs.
Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle said Ms Lee had ‘engaged in political interference on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party’.
Last night, a former Labour Minister said: ‘There must be full investigations into these shocking revelations and Barry Gardiner must publish all the details of his and his family’s dealings with the Chinese and the Russians.
‘He must account for every penny he received from the Chinese and explain exactly what has been going on with the Russians. Keir Starmer should suspend Barry Gardiner and appoint an independent QC and accountant to conduct a full investigation.’ Conservative
MP Alicia Kearns said: ‘It’s hard not to feel that Gardiner’s links to hostile states and his willingness to embrace them is anything but a serious matter of concern for our national security. First China, now potentially Russia, where next? North Korea? Barry could perhaps benefit from being a little more discerning with his friendships.’
Zenit St Petersburg is owned by Russian energy giant Gazprom. Before the club signed him, Mr Gardiner-Smith was an under-18 player at CSKA Moscow. The club is owned by VEB, whose chairman is Igor Shuvalov, a former deputy prime minister of Russia.
Questions were raised in 2016 about whether Mr Gardiner, Shadow Trade Secretary at the time, was a factor in his son’s signing with Zenit. Mr GardinerSmith has said his father played ‘no part’ in the deal.
In 2017, Mr Gardiner-Smith said: ‘My family is closely connected to Russia, we have close friends who live in Moscow.’ He added that he first travelled to Russia aged five.
Last night, Mr Gardiner was approached for comment.