Russian interference

In his response to Saturdays demonstration in Swindon against Russian money and interference in our democracy, Robert Buckland says he "wishes people would get their facts right".

That is rich, coming from a minister in Boris Johnson's government. Johnson has made a career out of telling outright lies, not even just getting 'facts' wrong. He was sacked from one newspaper for inventing lies about the European Union, then sacked again for lying about his personal life in office. Lies and half-truths abound daily from Johnson and his ministers.

In contrast the Swindon people protesting against Russian interference in UK democracy represent a genuine and and widely held concern. The fact that both our MPs received money from Russian business interests was publicly reported at the time, including in this newspaper. Therefore Robert Buckland saying that the oligarch Temerko is Ukrainian-born is a complete red herring. Temerko was born in the Ukraine in Soviet times. The obscene wealth of Putin's oligarchs was derived from the stolen resources of the Soviet people.

The fact the Tory party has profited from the results of this blood money and stolen resources and it heavily influences British politics, even if technically legal, is just wrong. Certainly there is a difference in intent between monies donated to an MP or party for campaign funds compared to 'open' corruption such as in return for favours like "cash for questions'. No one is accusing Robert of that, but election campaigns cost a lot of money and those who have the most money tend to win. In this sense democracy is for sale and Russian oligarchs have been buying it. For example the son of a KGB officer, Johnsons close pal, Lord Lebedev, is in the House of Lords and owns two British right wing newspapers.

Robert says he's spoken out against Russian or should we say Kremlin?) kleptocracy and that's a step in the right direction. However, It is difficult to understand how he can continue to support a party and government which is going easy on these oligarchs, even as Putin smashes Ukraine, a party who's then leader Theresa May ordered the secret services not to investigate Kremlin interference in our politics, even though they were warnin about this danger to our national security. Agents of the Kremlin had the brass neck to poison people on British soil. It was known Putin had identified Britain as the weak link in Europe. The City was known as the world's laundromat for dirty money. So he knew could buy our democracy. Putin needed to detach Britain from Europe, his biggest political and economic threat in order to weaken it. Now Britain sits on the sidelines of the collective war effort, economically speaking.

Sorry Robert, but we have to make a fuss about this. We need to get rid of it all. Give the money donated to the Tory Party to the Ukrainian relief funds at least. Our democracy is not for sale. Especially as it's being bought with money which should once have been the rightful wealth of the Russian/Ukrainian and many other Soviet peoples.

Steve Rouse

Woodland View

Wroughton

Hypocrisy claim

I guess David Renard will never acknowledge his administration is responsible for anything other than successful projects in our town.

His hubris extends to accusing his political counterpart of having nothing to say, and relying on their national party to give them something to campaign on. In an act of pure hypocrisy Coun Renard then trumpets from his national party's textbook.

Des Morgan

Caraway Drive

Swindon

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