The British government said it was examining meetings between the Russian embassy and leading figures in the campaign to leave the EU, even as one of those under scrutiny laughed off the claims as a full-scale witch hunt.
Arron Banks, a businessman who bankrolled a prominent Brexit campaign, has defended his meetings with Russia’s ambassador to the UK.
Mr Banks, who was co-founder of the Leave. EU campaign, was questioned by British parliamentarians on Tuesday about his links with Russia amid claims that Moscow had meddled in the 2016 Brexit vote.
The 52-year-old, who was one of the UK Independence Party’s largest donors, met ambassador Alexander Yakovenko three times between 2015 and 2016.
Responding to questions from the MPs investigating fake news, Mr Banks said: “If the French ambassador called up and asked to meet you for lunch, you’d go. It would be nice.
“What I’m saying is, we’ve now got a full-scale Russian witch hunt going on, but before that it wasn’t an issue.”
Relations between the UK and Russia are at their lowest point in decades since the poisoning of a former Russian spy and his daughter in Salisbury in March.
Home Secretary Sajid Javid revealed on Monday before Mr Banks' appearance in front of the parliamentary Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee that his Russian links were being examined by ministers from two separate government departments.
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Read more:
Brexit backer faces quiz over Russia links
UK probes Russian social media influence in Brexit vote
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Mr Banks had cancelled his scheduled appearance at the hearing. However, he changed his mind after newspapers revealed over the weekend two further undisclosed meetings with the ambassador.
Reports in The Sunday Times and The Observer said Mr Banks and his colleague Andy Wigmore, who also appeared before the committee, met Mr Yakovenko in November 2016 to discuss potential business opportunities involving gold mines in Russia.
Mr Banks said there was “no definitive evidence” of a conspiracy with Russian officials, but admitted to giving them the telephone number for US President Donald Trump’s transition team before his inauguration.
The millionaire entrepreneur also dismissed allegations by whistle-blower Brittany Kaiser, who said he had illegally used personal data belonging to clients of his insurance companies Eldon and GoSkippy for the Brexit campaign.
He said: “I like to think I'm an evil genius with a white cap who controls all of democracy, but clearly that's not true.”
Cambridge Analytica whistle-blower Ms Kaiser had previously told the committee that data had been misused between Leave. EU, UKIP and Mr Banks’ insurance companies during the Brexit referendum campaign.
The disgraced data-mining company Cambridge Analytica, which was accused of illegally harvesting Facebook profiles to sway the US election and the Brexit vote, pitched for work with Leave. EU, but Mr Banks said the company was not involved with the Leave. EU campaign.
"We had two or three meetings with them and it became clear to me that — as is true in a lot of politics — there is a lot of sizzle and sometimes not a lot of substance," he said.
Mr Banks confirmed to the committee that he had been introduced to Cambridge Analytica by former Trump aide Steve Bannon.
The insurance tycoon and Mr Wigmore, Leave. EU’s director of communications, were grilled by MPs about the campaign’s use of “fake news” in the lead up to the vote.
In an apparent buoyant mood throughout the questioning, Mr Banks said he had been happy during the campaign to “lead journalists up the garden path”.
Mr Wigmore said: "The piece of advice that we got, right from the beginning, was remember referendums are not about facts, it's about emotion and you have got to tap into that emotion."
Having promised “fireworks” at the hearing, Mr Banks took regular potshots at individual members of the committee, which he claimed was made up of Remain voters.
Asked whether he would campaign again in the event of a second referendum, he said: "If I had my time again, I probably wouldn't have done this in the first place."
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Key recommendations
- Fewer criminals put behind bars and more to serve sentences in the community, with short sentences scrapped and many inmates released earlier.
- Greater use of curfews and exclusion zones to deliver tougher supervision than ever on criminals.
- Explore wider powers for judges to punish offenders by blocking them from attending football matches, banning them from driving or travelling abroad through an expansion of ‘ancillary orders’.
- More Intensive Supervision Courts to tackle the root causes of crime such as alcohol and drug abuse – forcing repeat offenders to take part in tough treatment programmes or face prison.
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The five pillars of Islam
Oppenheimer
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Ali Kasheif, Salim Rashid, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Khalfan Mubarak, Ali Mabkhout, Omar Abdulrahman, Mohammed Al Attas, Abdullah Ramadan, Zayed Al Ameri (Al Jazira), Mohammed Al Shamsi, Hamdan Al Kamali, Mohammed Barghash, Khalil Al Hammadi (Al Wahda), Khalid Essa, Mohammed Shaker, Ahmed Barman, Bandar Al Ahbabi (Al Ain), Al Hassan Saleh, Majid Suroor (Sharjah) Walid Abbas, Ahmed Khalil (Shabab Al Ahli), Tariq Ahmed, Jasim Yaqoub (Al Nasr), Ali Saleh, Ali Salmeen (Al Wasl), Hassan Al Muharami (Baniyas)
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
THE BIO: Martin Van Almsick
Hometown: Cologne, Germany
Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)
Favourite dessert: Umm Ali with dark camel milk chocolate flakes
Favourite hobby: Football
Breakfast routine: a tall glass of camel milk
Graduated from the American University of Sharjah
She is the eldest of three brothers and two sisters
Has helped solve 15 cases of electric shocks
Enjoys travelling, reading and horse riding
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Company profile
Name: Fruitful Day
Founders: Marie-Christine Luijckx, Lyla Dalal AlRawi, Lindsey Fournie
Based: Dubai, UAE
Founded: 2015
Number of employees: 30
Sector: F&B
Funding so far: Dh3 million
Future funding plans: None at present
Future markets: Saudi Arabia, potentially Kuwait and other GCC countries
Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3ECompany%20name%3A%20EduPloyment%3Cbr%3EDate%20started%3A%20March%202020%3Cbr%3ECo-Founders%3A%20Mazen%20Omair%20and%20Rana%20Batterjee%3Cbr%3EBase%3A%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3ESector%3A%20Recruitment%3Cbr%3ESize%3A%2030%20employees%3Cbr%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20Pre-Seed%3Cbr%3EInvestors%3A%20Angel%20investors%20(investment%20amount%20undisclosed)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
more from Janine di Giovanni
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
A cryptocurrency primer for beginners
Cryptocurrency Investing for Dummies – by Kiana Danial
There are several primers for investing in cryptocurrencies available online, including e-books written by people whose credentials fall apart on the second page of your preferred search engine.
Ms Danial is a finance coach and former currency analyst who writes for Nasdaq. Her broad-strokes primer (2019) breaks down investing in cryptocurrency into baby steps, while explaining the terms and technologies involved.
Although cryptocurrencies are a fast evolving world, this book offers a good insight into the game as well as providing some basic tips, strategies and warning signs.
Begin your cryptocurrency journey here.
Available at Magrudy’s , Dh104
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
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Results
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SUZUME
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
EMILY%20IN%20PARIS%3A%20SEASON%203
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Grubtech
Founders: Mohamed Al Fayed and Mohammed Hammedi
Launched: October 2019
Employees: 50
Financing stage: Seed round (raised $2 million)
Sreesanth's India bowling career
Tests 27, Wickets 87, Average 37.59, Best 5-40
ODIs 53, Wickets 75, Average 33.44, Best 6-55
T20Is 10, Wickets 7, Average 41.14, Best 2-12
The%20Secret%20Kingdom%20
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
