'I would absolutely defend the right of any British citizen...to play their full part in our democracy'

The Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis told Nick Robinson that wealthy Russian donors who had donated to him were "British citizens". He also said: "I would absolutely defend the right of any British citizen, including the people you've outlined who have donated to myself and others, to play their full part in our democracy." He added, "That doesn't just mean voting, that means supporting, if they want to, political parties and political candidates, and I'm very proud of the fact that, as a country, we allow British citizens to do that." Mr Lewis is reported to have personally received £25,000 from Lubov Chernukhin, a banker and the wife of President Vladimir Putin's former deputy finance minister, and £23,000 from Alexander Temerko, a former chief of a Russian arms company, while 13 other Cabinet ministers had also been given "large" sums. With Sir John Curtice, professor of politics at Strathclyde University. Credit: European Photopress Agency