Theresa May: Prime Minister had dinner paid for by the wife of an alleged former Vladimir Putin ally

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The Russian Oligarch’s wife paid £135,000 towards the Conservative fundraiser for dinner with the Prime Minister, the Daily Mail reported. Lubov Chernukhin reportedly won the dinner at an auction at the Conservative Party’s Black and White ball this year. Mrs Chernukhin has donated more than £1million to the Tory party in the past seven years.

The party told the Daily Mail Mrs Chernukhin is not a “Putin crony”. Mrs May was pictured with Cabinet ministers Amber Rudd, Andrea Leadsom and Liz Truss as well as Mrs Chernukhin. Ms Truss shared the photo on her Instagram with the caption “and it’s ladies night #cabinetandfriends #girlpower”. Despite the bitter rivalries within the top of the Tory party, the senior politicians appeared to put on a united front while socialising at yesterday evening’s function. READ MORE: Brexit News: Theresa May’s ‘evasive technique’ is causing uncertainty

Theresa May: The Russian Oligarch’s wife paid £135,000 towards the Tories for dinner with the PM

A source told the Daily Mail about the event: “It was a bit like Cabinet at the start, very polite, but then a fair amount of wine was drunk and then it became a very relaxed and talkative dinner.” Former Prime Minister David Cameron has also received a donation of £160,000 to play tennis with Mrs Chernukhin and Boris Johnson, according to the Daily Mail. The donation comes a year after the Tory party was accused of “sheer hypocrisy” for accepting £50,000 from the donor after the Salisbury poisoning, according to Sky News. Mrs Chernukhin is said to have donated a further £50,000 after Theresa May strengthened her claim of Russian culpability for the poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Scribal on March 4.

Yulia Skripal: Mrs Chernukhin donated to the Tory party following the Salisbury poisonings