Arron Banks met Russian ambassador more than once. So what?
Millionaire ‘not remotely remorseful’ over repeated contact with Russian officials in run-up to EU vote
Arron Banks, the biggest financial donor to the Brexit campaign, has claimed that he is the victim of a “witch-hunt” after facing calls to explain his links with the Kremlin.
The millionaire businessman, who co-founded Leave.EU, was yesterday the subject of a four-page spread in The Sunday Times, which accused him of holding undisclosed meetings with the Russian ambassador to the UK.
Cabinet Office Minister David Lidington has called for an investigation.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
So, why are the revelations significant and how has Banks responded?
What is Arron Banks accused of?
In his book, The Bad Boys of Brexit, Banks said that he had met Putin’s envoy, Alexander Yakovenko, for a “six-hour boozy lunch” in September 2015. However, leaked emails - seen by The Sunday Times - reveal that there were two further meetings and that he made “repeated contact” with Russian officials before and after the EU referendum, to discuss business opportunities and other issues.
Banks visited Moscow in February 2016, was offered a business deal involving six Russian goldmines, and even invited Yakovenko to a party on the day of the referendum, the emails show.
“The revelations raise explosive questions about attempts by Moscow to influence the referendum result,” claims the newspaper.
The accusations come as Donald Trump’s campaign staff face investigation by a special prosecutor over whether they colluded with Moscow to influence the US presidential election.
The Russian Embassy insists that it “has not in any way intervened in the domestic UK political process, including the Brexit referendum” and that meeting stakeholders from across a country’s political spectrum is a “natural element of the work of any embassy”.
How has Banks responded?
The Brexiteer, who is due to give evidence to MPs on the Commons Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee tomorrow as part of its “fake news” inquiry, said “most of the facts” within The Sunday Times report were correct, but told the newspaper: “Bite me.”
He confirmed that he had two lunches and a cup of tea with Yakovenko. However, when asked why he had only disclosed one of the meetings in his book, he said: “It’s not a court of law. So what? I’m not remotely remorseful.”
Any suggestion that Leave.EU received financial help from Russia was “complete, absolute garbage”, he said, positioning himself as the victim of a “witch-hunt”.
Banks later told ITV News: “We did meet the Russian ambassador. We did have a cup of tea. At the end of the day, so what?”
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
The week's best photos
In Pictures Firing shells, burning ballots, and more
By Anahi Valenzuela, The Week US Published
-
Damian Barr shares his favourite books
The Week Recommends The writer and broadcaster picks works by Alice Walker, Elif Shafak and others
By The Week UK Published
-
The Great Mughals: a 'treasure trove' of an exhibition
The Week Recommends The V&A's new show is 'spell-binding'
By The Week UK Published
-
Brendan Carr, Trump's FCC pick, takes aim at Big Tech
In the Spotlight The next FCC commissioner wants to end content moderation practices on social media sites
By David Faris Published
-
'This needs to be a bigger deal'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
The political latitude of Musk's cost-cutting task force
Talking Points A $2 trillion goal. And big obstacles in the way.
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
John Prescott: was he Labour's last link to the working class?
Today's Big Quesiton 'A total one-off': tributes have poured in for the former deputy PM and trade unionist
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
New York DA floats 4-year Trump sentencing freeze
Speed Read President-elect Donald Trump's sentencing is on hold, and his lawyers are pushing to dismiss the case while he's in office
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Last hopes for justice for UK's nuclear test veterans
Under the Radar Thousands of ex-service personnel say their lives have been blighted by aggressive cancers and genetic mutations
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
'It may not be surprising that creative work is used without permission'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
What message is Trump sending with his Cabinet picks?
TODAY'S BIG QUESTION By nominating high-profile loyalists like Matt Gaetz and RFK Jr., is Trump serious about creating a functioning Cabinet, or does he have a different plan in mind?
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published