Conservative MPs are demanding the reinstatement of Jawad Marandi’s donations after links to a money laundering investigation were revealed

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Labor MP Margaret Hodge said the disclosure by this newspaper and the BBC that Marandi was a “person of interest” in a case involving a “criminal enterprise” known as the Azerbaijan Laundry to move corrupt money around the world meant that “if this is true… Money has well and truly crept into our politics.”

She told the House of Commons during an urgent parliamentary question sparked by the revelations that the Tories, which had received hundreds of thousands of pounds in donations from Mr Marandi, should return the money, and called on ministers to inform MPs of any access to that. A businessman who received the government for his money.

“These discoveries are absolutely horrific. There is an investigation into the Azerbaijan laundromat, $2.9 billion stolen, laundered through British companies used to bribe politicians and line the pockets of the corrupt Azerbaijani elite and Javad Marandi linked to it. We now hear he donated three-quarters of a million pounds to the Conservative Party, and was awarded an OBE and access to government ministers. We must take these allegations seriously. If this is true, then dirty money has well and truly crept into our politics.

“The Conservative Party will not organize itself, will the Government put forward regulations requiring all parties to do due diligence and check the source of all political donations? Will the Minister ensure that this donation is returned, and will he investigate and report to Parliament on any access Mr Marandi has had to Cabinet Ministers for his large donations Tory?

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Police Minister Chris Philp responded that “people deserve to be presumed innocent until proven guilty” but said he welcomed the National Crime Agency’s investigation – which targeted three members of the Azerbaijani oligarch family – which led to the identification of Mr Marandi’s connection to the money laundering case.

He added that “no one wants to see dirty money flowing through London” but told MPs he had only just learned of Mr Marandi’s connection to the case and that the strict rules applying to political donations were under scrutiny to see if any further strengthening was needed.

Alison Thewlis, the SNP MP who asked the urgent question, commended the Evening Standard and the BBC for bringing public attention to Marandi’s involvement in what she described as a triumph of open justice.

“The news that Javed Marandi has lost an 18-month legal battle…anonymity is a victory for transparency and press freedom in a battle often tipped in favor of wealthy oligarchs. It also goes to the very heart of our democracy. Although I have to state that Mr. Marandi denies any wrongdoing. The National Crime Agency has found that companies linked to Mr. Marandi are an important part of a money laundering network known as the Azerbaijan Laundry.

Credit must go to Martin Bentham, the BBC’s Steve Swan, the BBC’s Dominic Casciani, and the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, who in 2017 exposed $2.9 billion stolen from the people of Azerbaijan, and the National Crime Agency for their part in This case designates Mr. Marandi as a person of interest.

The UK should not be the home of dirty money, but it has become under the Conservative Party. Mr Marandi appears to have used corporate structures including Scottish Limited Partnerships Hilux Services LP and Polux Management LP registered in a PO Box in my constituency.

There are clear political and security aspects to this issue. Mr. Marandi is a major donor to the Conservative Party. This money has secured him access to the Conservative Leaders Group and Advisory Council, part of an unquestionably broader effort to launder reputation.”

I asked Mr. Philp to tell the deputies about the meetings Mr. Marandi had with the ministers and “what effect his donations had on him” and also when the ministers learned of his connection with the Azerbaijan Laundry and what action was taken.

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