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Proceeding contribution from Baroness Hodge of Barking (Labour) in the House of Commons on Tuesday, 16 May 2023. It occurred during Urgent question on National Crime Agency Investigation: Javad Marandi.


National Crime Agency Investigation: Javad Marandi

I thank the hon. Member for Glasgow Central (Alison Thewliss) for tabling the urgent question and you, Mr Speaker, for granting it. These revelations are completely damning. There is an investigation into the Azerbaijan laundromat. A total of $2.9 billion was stolen. It was laundered through UK companies and used to bribe politicians and line the pockets of the corrupt Azerbaijani elite, and Javad Marandi is linked with it. Now we hear that he donated three quarters of a million pounds to the Tory party, got an OBE and access to Government Ministers. We should take these allegations very seriously. If they are true, dirty money has well and truly crept into our politics. The Conservative party will not regulate itself, so will the Government bring forward regulations requiring all parties to do due diligence and checks on the source of all political donations? Will the Minister make sure that this donation is returned, and will he investigate and report back to Parliament on any access that Mr Marandi got to Government Ministers because of his large donations to the Conservative party?


Secondary information

Type
Proceeding contribution
Reference
732 c705 
Session
2022-23
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons chamber
Subjects
Fraud Finance Elections Donors Political parties Money laundering Azerbaijan National Crime Agency Marandi, Javad
Link
View this Proceeding contribution on hansard.parliament.uk