Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by DanBC 4030 days ago
Wait what?

What UK euro-sceptic party receives funding from Moscow?

http://www.ukpolitical.info/Donations.htm

http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/find-information-by-su...

http://search.electoralcommission.org.uk/Search?currentPage=...

1 comments

Yeah, Moscow would certainly make sure that their funding is easily discovered and attributed.

For example, Le Pen's Front National got EUR 40M loan[0]. Also Greece’s Golden Dawn party, Belgium’s Vlaams Belang, Italy’s Northern League, Hungary’s Jobbik and the Freedom Party of Austria.[1]

An overview from The Guardian[2]

[0]http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/40m-of-russia...

[1]http://www.theweek.co.uk/europe/61498/russia-funds-french-na...

[2] http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/feb/16/russian-resurge...

So nothing about UK parties?
Ukip has been cosy with Moscow[0] but I am unaware about any reliable funding stories.

[0]http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/mar/31/nigel-farage...

I don't think there is much more to it than, as the article says "The enemy of my enemy is my friend" - UKIP hates the EU and Putin hates the EU.

It reminds of Churchill's quote after the Nazis attacked the Soviet Union:

If Hitler invaded Hell I would make at least a favourable reference to the devil in the House of Commons.

Churchill had previously been War Minister at the time of the intervention in the Russian Civil War against the Bolsheviks and was a strong anti-communist.

[NB Just to be clear - I strongly disagree with UKIP policies, but I don't believe for a minute that they'd actually take money from Moscow - it would be political suicide if it was ever found out].