Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.
A former Member of the European Parliament (MEP) associated with Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party has strongly denied receiving payments linked to a pro-Russian influence operation within the European Parliament. David Coburn, who also led the UK Independence Party (UKIP) in Scotland, has been mentioned in WhatsApp exchanges involving Nathan Gill, a disgraced ex-MEP. Gill was recently sentenced to over ten years in prison for accepting bribes to deliver speeches and interviews supportive of Russian interests.
The messages surfaced following Gill’s conviction, revealing communications between him and Oleg Voloshyn, a former Ukrainian MP known for his pro-Russian stance. Voloshyn allegedly discussed sums of money intended for Coburn while bribing Gill. Despite these references, there is no direct evidence the BBC has seen to prove Coburn was offered or received any funds. During an interview outside his residence in France, Coburn explicitly denied ever being paid to promote pro-Russian agendas.
The messages date back to April 2019, shortly after Coburn transitioned from UKIP to the Brexit Party, now called Reform UK. They involve discussions regarding participation in meetings of editorial boards for two Ukrainian pro-Russian TV channels, 112 Ukraine and NewsOne—both closely linked to Viktor Medvedchuk, a wealthy oligarch with direct ties to Vladimir Putin. The court heard that Medvedchuk was the source of the bribe money paid to Gill. These messages, discovered on Gill’s phone after he was stopped by counter-terrorism officers in 2021, highlight payments allegedly split between Gill and an “other MEP,” identified cryptically as “D” or “David,” a reference appearing to point to Coburn.
Coburn was the only David associated publicly with these pro-Russian TV channels’ editorial boards and had previously attended visits to the stations alongside Gill and fellow former UKIP MEP Jonathan Arnott. Both Coburn and Arnott defended the broadcasters in European Parliament debates where Gill had made pro-Russian speeches in exchange for payments. Arnott has since denied any involvement in bribery and condemned the notion of acting in Russia’s interest as “provably nonsensical.” Notably, Coburn’s speeches mirrored some of Gill’s talking points, especially when questioning Ukraine’s readiness for European Union membership due to its actions against these channels.
The wider investigation into Gill’s activities revealed he used his influence to encourage other MEPs, primarily from UKIP and the Brexit Party, to support narratives favorable to Russia’s position on Ukraine. While others spoke on these platforms, there was no evidence that they knew about Gill’s payments. The UK’s counter-terrorism police described Gill as having a leadership role in pushing this agenda.
Oleg Voloshyn, who co-defended alongside Gill but has not been charged in the UK, was sanctioned by both the US and UK governments for allegedly promoting Russian foreign policy and destabilizing Ukraine. Voloshyn’s phone was seized and examined by FBI agents in 2021, and the UK Parliament had earlier warned MPs against engaging with him. In response to the scandal, Keir Starmer called on Reforms UK leader Nigel Farage to urgently investigate possible further connections between his party and Russian interests. Farage expressed confidence that no one else from his party had engaged in wrongdoing akin to Gill’s but suggested that any broader inquiry should be conducted by security services such as MI5. The Metropolitan Police confirmed that while no further arrests have been made, their investigation continues. Reform UK also stated that Coburn has no involvement with the party at present
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.