Johnson faces “serious questions” about nobility for KGB agent’s son – Chi News Popular

SIR Keir Starmer asked to learn more about the control of a Russian-born millionaire given a noble title by Boris Johnson despite security concerns.

The Labor leader said the Prime Minister had “serious questions” to answer about Evgeny Lebedev, whose father is an oligarch and former KGB agent.

The Sunday Times reported that the security services had concerns about Mr. Lebedev, owner of the Independent and Evening Standard, as early as 2013.

The newspaper also reported that then MI6 chief John Sawers had refused to meet with Mr. Lebedev.

However, Mr. Lebedev, a close ally of Mr. Johnson, was ennobled regardless in December 2020. He has since given only one speech in the House of Lords, in May 2021.

Sir Keir said he wrote to the Lords Nominating Committee to provide the advice he gave Mr. Johnson when he nominated Mr. Lebedev for a noble title.

He said he understood that the commission traditionally did not “but the accounts of Lord Lebedev’s political views, personal ties and financial interests are deeply troubling.”

The Prime Minister denied that he ignored the security concerns of Mr. Lebedev, who entertained Mr. Johnson in his Italian castle when he was foreign minister.

Lord Lebedev, 41, who became a crossbench peer in 2020, acknowledged on Friday that his father, Russian billionaire Alexander Lebedev, had been a KGB agent “a long time ago.”

However, he denied that he was “a risk to the security of this country, which I love”.

Mr. Gove today defended the award of the noble title and denied that anyone had raised any safety concerns with him about it.

He admitted that he dined with Mr. Lebedev at Mr. Johnson’s home before Brexit referendum.

The level-up secretary told the BBC that the process for the noble titles was “rigorous”.

She said: “I think it is important to make a distinction between Evgeny Lebedev’s father, who obviously, as you pointed out, worked for the KGB, and Lord Lebedev himself, who is one who has established his home in this country.

“Sure, there are questions that will be asked, but no one has ever told me that there are specific security concerns they have about Lord Lebedev.”

Asked if Mr. Johnson had been foolish about the title, he said, “No, I don’t think so.”

Mr. Gove also told Sky News: “I met Lord Lebedev, as did the Prime Minister. In no time has anyone ever told me that it would be inappropriate to meet him and talk to him ”.

However Sir Keir said: “We have a process to examine what really happened, what the Prime Minister knew and what he did in response to that. I think that’s the least we are entitled to in relation to this appointment. “

He added: “Of course, we shouldn’t just demonize people from Russia, I completely agree, but that’s not the case with Lebedev.

“The media today say that there were additional reservations from the security and intelligence services that were known before this appointment was made and we know that concerns have apparently been raised with the Prime Minister.

“In light of today’s further revelations, I think the Prime Minister has serious questions to answer: What did he know? And he ignored the safety advice? “

Speaking at his party’s spring conference today, Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey called for a full public investigation into the Prime Minister’s decision to give Lord Lebedev a noble title.

He told activists: “The intimate relationship between Putin’s oligarchs and the conservative political elite has been the dirty secret of the British establishment for too long.”

Mr. Gove also clarified reports that he was planning to seize the homes of oligarchs who have been sanctioned for hosting refugees.

He said: “I want to explore an option that allows us to use the homes and properties of sanctioned people, as long as they are sanctioned, for humanitarian and other purposes.”

He acknowledged that there was a “fairly high legal bar to overcome”, however, and said that even if it went ahead, it would not mean “permanent confiscation” of the properties involved.

“Even if you’re not using it or profiting from it, if we can use it to help others, let’s do it,” he told BBC One’s Sunday Morning program.