News
Simon Hart among MPs who got money from Pandora Papers company

- Simon Hart among MPs who got money from Pandora Papers company
- Alleged dirty money funding Conservative Party
- Sources of donors’ unexplained wealth are revealed
A LOCAL MP is one of 34 Conservative MPs who received financial support from a company named in the Pandora Papers as connected to a web of international fraud and tax dodging.
Simon Hart, MP for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire and the Secretary of State for Wales, disclosed contributions from Aquind Ltd and an individual associated with Aquind, Alexander Temeko, in his register of interests.
In the twelve months before 2019’s General Election, Mr Hart declared he received a total of almost £25,000 from Aquind Ltd and its public face in the UK, Mr Temerko.
Although there is no wrongdoing alleged on Mr Hart’s part, we asked for his personal views on whether the current rules governing donations to political parties were robust enough.
He did not reply.
However, the Pandora Papers’ publication highlights the seamier side of some Soviet-born emigres who’ve supported the Conservatives.
A PIPELINE OF CASH
Aquind has donated more than £365,000 to the Conservative Party in recent years, despite never generating a penny in turnover.
Its former parent company donated almost £500,000 to the Conservative Party between 2012 and 2015.
Mr Termerko is alleged to have made further personal donations totalling around £700,000 to the Conservatives.
Aquind is behind a cross-channel energy and fibre optic infrastructure project valued at £1.24bn.
The Pandora Papers reveal that Aquind’s ultimate owner is Viktor Fedotov.
Both Mr Fedotov and Mr Temerko were closely linked to the former Russian Government under Boris Yeltsin, now widely acknowledged as institutionally and fundamentally corrupt.
Mr Temerko was a member of the defence ministry under former Russian premier Boris Yeltsin dealing with armaments. He later became Vice-President of the Russian oil giant Yukos.
Mr Fedotov is named in the Pandora Papers among individuals who allegedly made their fortunes through a massive contract fraud against the Russian state oil pipeline monopoly Transneft.
One claim puts the total involved in the alleged fraud as US$4bn.
The term ‘kleptocracy’ is often applied to how those linked with Yeltsin’s government managed to enrich themselves at the public expense.
Mr Temerko and Mr Fedotov strongly deny any allegations levelled against them about any involvement in alleged wrongdoing that might be connected to the source of their prodigious personal wealth.
THE BANKER’S MILLIONS
A further prominent Russian-born Conservative donor, Lubov Chernukhin, has donated around £1.8m to the Conservatives. Her husband, Vladimir, is a former finance minister in Vladimir Putin’s government and former head of the Russian National Bank.
Allegations, denied by Mr Chernukhin, claim he massively enriched himself by exploiting his position and links to power.
The Chernukhins have built up a significant property portfolio in the UK using a network of offshore trusts and opaque corporate structures that provided no clue about their fortunes’ origins until the Pandora Papers’ publication.
The stench of back-scratching cronyism surrounding Westminster’s handling of procurement processes during the pandemic – something the UK’s courts are examining in detail – adds to the pervading sense that there’s something rotten at the heart of British politics.
Whether as the beneficiaries of money allegedly obtained through massive corruption, the Conservatives want to address that situation is another matter altogether.
Although the Party has brushed aside concerns about the size of the donations it’s received from those allegedly connected to graft and corruption elsewhere, the Prime Minister’s blasé observation that the last Labour Government brought in the current rules (there hasn’t been a Labour Government for over eleven years, Prime Minister), does little to reassure.
As long as the gravy train runs, Mr Johnson seems eager to continue to feed on it.
Crime
Pembroke Dock man to be sentenced for assaulting police officers

A PEMBROKE DOCK man is due to be sentenced on Monday (Mar 31) after admitting to assaulting three police officers and resisting arrest during incidents earlier this month.
Ashley Rickard, aged 27, of Elizabeth Court, Pembroke Dock, pleaded guilty to four offences when he appeared at court on March 17. Magistrates adjourned the case for a pre-sentence report to be prepared.
The court heard that on March 15, Rickard assaulted PC Morse in Pembroke Dock while the officer was carrying out his duties as an emergency worker. He also assaulted PC Walker and resisted two other officers, PC Cranmer and PC Kendall, during the same incident in Milford Haven.
All of the offences are understood to have taken place on the same day and involved Rickard obstructing and assaulting officers during the course of their work.
Rickard is due to appear at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court at 10:00am on Monday for sentencing. The offences carry a maximum penalty of up to 12 months in prison or an unlimited fine.
The Herald will report the outcome of the case following the hearing.
Crime
Milford Haven man faces court hearing for assault on three police officers

A MILFORD HAVEN man is due to appear at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Monday (Mar 31) facing multiple charges, including the assault of three emergency workers and possession of an offensive weapon.
Adam Williams, 37, of Richard John Road, is facing charges relating to an incident on March 16 in which he is accused of possessing a craft knife in a public place without lawful authority, contrary to the Prevention of Crime Act 1953.
Williams is also charged with three counts of assaulting emergency workers—Police Sergeant 408 Benbow, PC 944 Lee, and PC 764 Mycroft—who were reportedly acting in the course of their duties at the time of the incident.
In addition, Williams is facing a charge of using a motor vehicle without third-party insurance, said to have occurred on Richard John Road on the same date.
The case was adjourned earlier this month for a reports to be prepared.
Williams is expected to return to court at 10:00am on Monday.
Business
Tree-mendous work helping to improve the condition of our rivers

OVER 24,000 trees have been planted along the banks of four south Wales rivers to help reduce nutrient pollution, improve water quality and help protect nature.
The Natural Resources Wales (NRW) Four Rivers for LIFE project has been busy this tree planting season on the Teifi, Tywi, Cleddau and Usk Rivers.
In partnership with organisations like the National Trust, West Wales Rivers Trust, County Councils and contractors a total of 24,160 native trees have been planted with the aim of reducing nutrient pollution, improving water quality and helping to protect nature.
The trees will soak up excess nutrients from agricultural land run off, improve downstream water quality and provide habitat for wildlife.
The corridors of trees, averaging 10metres in width, act as buffer strips between farmland and the river and have been planted on land that has been fenced to create riparian strips.
Robert Thomas, Four Rivers for LIFE Land Management Officer said: “As the trees mature they will act as an important filter, reducing the amount of excess nutrients reaching the rivers, helping to improve the overall condition of these special rivers.”
As well as providing benefits to the Special Area of Conservation (SAC) river, in time as the trees mature and grow, they will stabilise riverbanks, reduce erosion and soil loss to the river, provide shelter for livestock and shade the river, keeping the water cool for fish.
Simon Rose, Woodland Project Ranger at National Trust Brecon Beacons said: “We have been delighted to work alongside NRW’s Four Rivers for LIFE team and the Woodland Trust at Ty Mawr Farm. This collaborative effort exemplifies the very objectives we seek to achieve through ongoing engagement with volunteer and corporate groups, students from Black Mountains College, and staff from similar organisations on team-building days.”
“Together, we are planting trees and hedgerows that will provide essential food sources and create connected woodlands, fostering the growth of wildlife and the flourishing of habitats.”
The Teifi, Tywi, Cleddau and Usk Rivers are classed as Special Areas of Conservation (SAC), meaning they are of international importance for the wildlife and plants that make them home, such as salmon, lamprey, shad, otters and water crowfoot.
The Four Rivers for LIFE Project is funded by the EU LIFE Programme with support from Welsh Government and Welsh Water.
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