Dominic Raab Defends Boris Johnson As 'Very Social' When Quizzed Over Russian Friends

Dominic Raab has defended Boris Johnson as “a very social individual”, as he sought to explain the prime minister’s closeness so some wealthy Russians.

Speaking during PMQs on Wednesday, Labour MP Matt Weston said when it came to judging someone it was “often done by the company that they keep”.

Weston noted Johnson had played tennis with Lubov Chernukhin, the wealthy Tory donor and wife of a former Russian minister.

He also questioned why Johnson chose to attend a party hosted by former KGB agent Alexander Lebedev the day after his 2019 general election victory.

“What first attracted the prime minister the billionaire Russian oligarchs?” Weston asked.

Raab, standing in for Johnson at PMQs as he is in Saudi Arabia, dismissed the question to laughter from the opposition benches.

“The prime minister is not just a very social individual,” he said. “He wants this country to be open and outward looking to the world.”

Westminster is also still waiting for the conclusions of the Metropolitan Police investigation into whether Johnson broke his own Covid rules by attending parties in No.10 during lockdown.

Labour has said Johnson has “serious questions” to answer after the Sunday Times reported the head of MI6 held security concerns over the appointment of Evgeny Lebedev to the House of Lords.

Evgeny Lebedev, now Lord Lebedev, is the owner of the Evening Standard and The Independent. He is the son of Alexander Lebedev.

Lord Lebedev has previously said: “I am not a security risk to this country, which I love.

“My father a long time ago was a foreign intelligence agent of the KGB, but I am not some agent of Russia.”