The night Vladimir Putin announced his decision to invade Ukraine, Boris Johnson was attending a Conservative Party fundraising event in London. He gave a short speech and even talked about Putin’s decision to invade. He also mentioned that he must leave as soon as possible to assess the Ukrainian crisis.
The event took place at 8pm on February 23 at Spencer House, located a mile from Downing Street. It was attended by 75 guests, including government officials.
Fundraising Event
At Fundraising events, groups of people raise money to support a cause. These can involve events from concerts to the sale of local dishes to attract voluntary financial contributions.
Private organisations collect money for different causes. In these events, donors have an opportunity to engage in an active way. Donations are not always financial. Donors can also offer their nonfinancial services.
There are many different nonprofit events such as:
- Galas
- Donor appreciation events
- Live or online auctions
- Silent Auctions
A gala is a gathering where food and drink is served with the main goal of collecting money for nonprofit organisations. Participants must buy tickets, the proceeds for which are donated to a nonprofit entity for its cause.
Donor appreciation events are completely free. Nonprofit organs do not ask for money or help at these events. These are held to appreciate donors for their financial support and establish a connection with them. You can meet the donors and get to know them. You just want to know how they can help support an organisation.
Live or online auctions are events where sellers propose the highest price for their goods. Nonprofit entities hold these events to introduce their special products to people in order to familiarise them with different occupations, set up new occupations, and help manufacturers.
A silent Auction follows the same concept as an auction, but instead of an auctioneer announcing each item, these are laid out for everyone to inspect and bid “Silently” by writing their offer on a sheet of paper next to each item.
Mystery boxes, grab bags, and punch walls are a few great fundraising ideas to help sell some less expensive auction items that you have received for your fundraiser.
Johnson Accused of Being National Security Threat for Attending Tory Fundraiser on Eve of Putin Attack on Ukraine
The UK Prime Minister attended the Tory fundraising event in central London on the eve of the Ukraine invasion. His attendance was, in fact, a threat to national security. Johnson even talked about the dangerous invasion and his decision for assessing the crisis.
Nearly four million Ukrainians have taken refuge in the other European countries and more have been internally displaced due to the crisis. The unprovoked invasion has been condemned by most leaders worldwide. Russian forces have placed thousands of Ukrainians in Mariupol under siege and even attacked a care home in eastern Ukraine, killing 56 elderly people. Ukraine’s deputy prime minister told Sky News that she believes the genocide being committed against the Ukrainians is “cruel and sacrilegious inhumanity”.
Many Ukrainians have been displaced and the country has suffered irrecoverable losses.
The night that Vladimir Putin announced the invasion, Boris Johnson was at a Tory fundraiser. According to reports by the Sunday Times, his two close cabinet colleagues, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace and Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove, were also present. Numerous media outlets have called Boris Johnson’s presence at the event wrong and unreasonable, and a threat to national security.
Reacting to the Sunday times report, Chair of the Labour Party Anneliese Dodds, also said: “Boris Johnson is a threat to national security … On the eve of war, the prime minister should have been completely focused on national security – not trying to get cash from the wife of Putin’s former finance minister … Boris Johnson’s party has accepted over £6.5m from donors linked to Putin’s murderous regime. He should be cleaning up our politics, not courting these people for more money.”
But a Downing Street spokesperson told Sky News: “The prime minister briefly attended this event which was a longstanding diary engagement.”
“Fundraising is a legitimate part of our democratic process and it is not unusual for the prime minister, or any political leader, to attend such an event.”
According to Tory sources, the PM attended the event for about 20 minutes and was not aware that Russia was going to invade Ukraine at the time of the event. He was informed of the invasion around 4am on February 24.
Boris Johnson’s Situation at Risk for Attending Fundraiser
Attending the fundraiser at a time when thousands of Russian forces were on the Ukraine border and Putin had announced his intention to invade the country was an important threat to the UK national security.
According to the Sunday Times report, donors attending the event included Lubov Cherubim, the wife of a former Russian deputy finance minister.
Johnson only became aware of the Russian invasion of Ukraine at 4am on February 24.
All members of the Labour Party have condemned his presence at the fundraiser and he is now considered a threat to UK national security. The Labour Party has also accused Boris Johnson of building a culture of accepting cash money from rich donors in the government for the Conservative Party. They have expressed serious concerns about his actions, the secret nature of which has angered them further and prompted them to say that they have lost confidence in him.
These tensions intensified further after the report in the Sunday Times. Labour has accused Boris Johnson of creating a “cash-for- access culture” in the Conservative Party after it emerged that a secret advisory board of wealthy donors was regularly invited to private briefings with the prime minister and his top team.
Conclusion
Boris Johnson attended a Conservative Party fundraising event on the eve Russia was planning the invasion of Ukraine. The Labour Party has blamed this action as a crackdown is in process on money laundering by Russian oligarchs in light of the escalating military tensions in Ukraine.
Labour accused the Conservatives of ignoring warnings about Russian money and its influence becoming popular in the UK.
