Labour leader Keir Starmer criticized Kemi Badenoch for allowing a member of Roman Abramovich’s legal team to have a prominent position within her inner circle. The Prime Minister expressed his disapproval following revelations that Shadow Attorney General Lord Wolfson is representing the former Chelsea owner, who is under pressure to donate £2.5 billion for the reconstruction of Ukraine.
Lord Wolfson has been engaged in Abramovich’s legal dispute with the Jersey government, which is investigating over £5.3 billion in assets associated with him held in Jersey. Abramovich has contended that the transfer of assets to aid Ukraine cannot proceed until the Jersey proceedings are resolved.
During a contentious PMQs exchange, Starmer rebuked Badenoch for lacking judgment and leadership. He urged her to acknowledge the conflict of interest in retaining Lord Wolfson in the shadow cabinet. Starmer questioned whether it was appropriate for the Shadow Attorney General to be advising on sending funds from Chelsea Football Club to Ukraine while representing Abramovich.
Following sanctions imposed on Abramovich due to alleged ties to Vladimir Putin after the Ukraine invasion, he sold the club in 2022, and the proceeds were frozen. There is an ongoing dispute over releasing these funds for humanitarian purposes related to the Ukraine conflict.
In December, Starmer issued a warning to Abramovich, insisting on compliance with transferring the Chelsea sale proceeds. A letter from Labour Justice Minister Jake Richards to Badenoch emphasized that Lord Wolfson’s representation of Abramovich compromised his ability to advise effectively. Richards called for Wolfson to choose between his role as a paid representative and serving in the Shadow Cabinet.
The Conservatives dismissed Labour’s accusations, stating that Lord Wolfson’s involvement is unrelated to Chelsea FC matters and branding the criticism as politically motivated. They emphasized that barristers represent clients, not causes, and criticized Labour for misinterpreting legal practices.