Reports linking a Wokingham MP to an opaque, pro-Russia ‘lobbying’ group have been dismissed. 

It has been reported that Sir John Redwood MP hosted an event alongside the Westminster Russia Forum (WRF) – previously called Conservative Friends of Russia – where he is alleged to have delivered a speech at the Erarta Gallery in London on the subject of geopolitics. 

In the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, WRF suddenly announced that it would be “disbanding with immediate effect”.  

When approached, Redwood insisted these allegations are “misinformed” but refused to comment further. 

The company was first registered in 2012 and is still listed as ‘active’, according to Companies House. 

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The group calls itself a “think tank” however, they have never published any research resulting in them having been referred to as a “lobbying operation” in publications such as The Spectator.  

The organisation changed its name from Conservative Friends of Russia in 2012 after they lost all their Conservative board members amid accusations that they were too close to Russian authorities. 

Former minister, Sir Malcolm Rifkind, resigned from the group citing concerns about the groups “political direction.” 

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The group claim that WRF and Conservative Friends of Russia are completely different organisations, however Companies House records show that not to be the case. 

Sue Hawley, the director of Spotlight on Corruption, told openDemocracy: ““Friends of’ groups of political parties are alarmingly unregulated, and provide a back door for unofficial lobbying, access and paid influence.  

“It is high time that these groups were brought out of the shadows, properly regulated, and that the public are able to have far greater insight into how they operate and who is behind them.” 

WRF claims to have been “apolitical since 2014”, instead pitching themselves as an organisation seeking to promote improved relations with Russia. 

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The groups recent chair, Nicholas Cobb, is the owner of Cobb Energy Communications, an energy communications company focused on Russia, also established in 2012.  

He states: “WRF is simply a group of people interested in the subject area of Russian and Eastern European history, politics and culture, and takes no political stance.” 

Cobb has made appearances on Russia Today, a state backed news channel which has recently had its licence to broadcast in the UK revoked.