Supporters of Ukraine Solidarity Campaign and Ukrainian organisations Vsesvit and Campaign for Ukraine demonstrated outside the Old Bailey (Central Criminal Court) in London on 21 November as Nathan Gill, former Reform UK leader in Wales, arrived for sentencing. In September, after months of investigations during which he insisted he was innocent, Gill finally pleaded guilty to eight counts of taking bribes to make propaganda for Russia’s aggression in Ukraine as a Member of the European Parliament.

Gill was sentenced to 10.5 years’ imprisonment (he is likely to serve half of that). The judge explained she considered 16 years an appropriate sentence, but was reducing it by two years because of minor mitigating factors, and by a further quarter because he (eventually) pleaded guilty.

More photos from our protest below. Protesters included Mick Antoniw, USC supporter and left-wing Labour member of the Welsh Senedd, who is also of Ukrainian heritage.

Our posters said: “New Russia report now” / “Russia’s useful bigots” / “Regression UK” / “Increase aid to Ukraine”

As Gill arrived we chanted “What about Farage?”

A number of us went and sat in the public gallery during the sentencing hearing. The story in detail was certainly worth hearing. For various reports and updates from the hearing, see this live feed on the BBC. The summary of the facts of the case from the prosecution barrister – not disputed by the defence – made it very clear that, whoever knew whatever about Gill being bribed, other UKIP MEPs were heavily involved in the pro-Russian propaganda activities he organised. Nigel Farage, who is not accused of taking bribes, also used his MEP position to make propaganda for Russia.

(The defence barrister used his submissions to parrot pro-Russian propaganda about the war in Ukraine. We will write more on this very soon!)

We are calling for – and we call for the UK labour movement to call for – a wider and thorough inquiry into Russian interference and influence in UK politics. And it is clear that Farage and the Reform UK leadership must be at the centre of any such inquiry.

We do not need to wait for the necessary inquiry, though, to know that Reform UK are agents of Russian influence in the UK. This alignment is an integral part of their extreme right-wing, anti-worker, migrant-bashing and pro-billionaire politics.

We call on the UK labour movement and left, and in particular the trade union movement, to get much more serious about fighting Reform UK. Part of that must be exposing its political connections to and amplification of propaganda from Russia. A left that tries to expose and oppose Farage and co. without tackling the Russian connection is fighting with one hand tied.

The labour movement must demand the Labour government stops pandering to Reform UK, Trump and the rest – and aping parts of their agenda – and starts fighting them and the politics they represent.

If you want to help us, get in touch: info@ukrainesolidaritycampaign.org

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