A Conservative frontbencher is facing criticism for his involvement as legal counsel for Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich. The Ukraine Solidarity Campaign (USC) has expressed concern about Shadow Attorney General Lord David Wolfson’s role. The UK government is seeking over £2.5 billion from Abramovich, with the intention of using the funds to support Ukraine.
Abramovich is currently embroiled in a legal dispute with the Jersey government, which is investigating the origin of more than £5.3 billion in assets associated with him held in Jersey. Recently, Keir Starmer issued a warning to Abramovich, threatening legal action if he fails to transfer the proceeds from the sale of Chelsea.
Lord Wolfson is representing Abramovich in the Jersey case, where Abramovich contends that the assets cannot be transferred to benefit Ukraine until the Jersey proceedings are resolved. The USC has raised doubts about the Shadow Cabinet member’s decision to take on this case without party leadership’s knowledge or approval.
The group has urged the government to enact emergency measures to prevent sanctioned individuals from exploiting the UK legal system to delay accountability. They emphasized the importance of prioritizing the rights of victims of Russian aggression over the privileges of oligarchs.
After being sanctioned by the UK over alleged ties to Vladimir Putin following the Ukraine invasion, Abramovich sold Chelsea FC in 2022. The funds from the sale, earmarked for humanitarian purposes related to the Ukraine conflict, are currently frozen in a UK bank account due to a standoff between Abramovich’s legal team and the government.
In a letter to Tory leader Kemi Badenoch, Labour Justice Minister Jake Richards highlighted the conflict of interest arising from Lord Wolfson’s dual roles and called for clarity on the Opposition’s stance regarding Abramovich’s financial obligations to Ukraine.
The Conservative Party dismissed Labour’s criticisms as politically motivated, affirming that Lord Wolfson’s legal involvement pertains to ongoing Jersey proceedings, not Chelsea FC matters. They defended the principle that barristers represent clients, not causes, and accused Labour of hypocrisy for their own legal associations. The Tories reiterated their commitment to supporting Ukraine and denounced any insinuations of wavering from that position as baseless.