The Conservative shadow attorney general is at the centre of a fierce political row after Labour accused him of a clear conflict of interest for acting as a lawyer for sanctioned Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich.
The Core of the Allegation
Justice minister Jake Richards told Sky News that Lord Wolfson must "do one or the other" – either serve on Kemi Badenoch's shadow front bench or represent Mr Abramovich. The Russian billionaire is currently engaged in a legal battle with the Jersey government, which is investigating the source of more than £5.3bn in assets linked to him held on the island.
This litigation is widely reported to be delaying the release of funds from Mr Abramovich's forced sale of Chelsea Football Club. The UK government intends for this money, expected to exceed £2.5bn, to be used for the reconstruction of war-torn Ukraine.
A Political Clash Over Principles
Speaking to Sky's political correspondent Mhari Aurora, Mr Richards said the situation "stinks to high heaven" and that Conservative leader Ms Badenoch should take action. He argued that Lord Wolfson cannot simultaneously advise the opposition on matters related to Russian sanctions and asset seizures while being paid by Abramovich.
"We think it cannot be right that the shadow attorney general on the one hand is advising Kemi Badenoch about this issue and on the other hand is getting paid by Roman Abramovich to do the same," Richards stated. "There's a clear conflict of interest."
Conservative Defence and Accusations of Hypocrisy
The Conservative Party has hit back, branding Labour's attack as "pure politics". A party spokesman stressed that Lord Wolfson is instructed only on the ongoing Jersey proceedings and not on the separate Chelsea FC matter. They defended the long-standing principle that "barristers act for clients, not causes".
In a pointed counter-attack, the Tories highlighted that Labour's own attorney general, Richard Hermer, has previously represented controversial figures such as Shamima Begum and Gerry Adams. "This is rank hypocrisy," the Conservative spokesman said, adding that the party "led the way on supporting Ukraine".
Mr Richards rejected this comparison, clarifying that Labour is not criticising Lord Wolfson for taking the case, but for trying to hold a senior shadow cabinet role while doing so. "He's now serving as a frontline politician so he doesn't do both at the same time," Richards said, drawing a parallel with Hermer's current role.
The dispute escalated after Mr Richards wrote to Ms Badenoch demanding clarity on whether Lord Wolfson had recused himself from any opposition policy regarding Abramovich's assets and whether the Tories align with the government's position on transferring the funds to Ukraine.
