Richard Tice Accepted £1,400 Stay at French Riviera Home of Tory Donor

Reform UK deputy leader met businesswoman Lubov Chernukhin to discuss UK gas power projects.

Reform Party Figure’s Riviera Meeting Raises Questions

Richard Tice, deputy leader of Reform UK and MP for Boston and Skegness, accepted a £1,400 stay at the French Riviera residence of Conservative donor Lubov Chernukhin, according to newly released records.
The trip, which took place between 4 and 6 August, included accommodation worth £1,000 and meals valued at £400. The purpose of the visit was listed as “discussing gas power in the UK.”

Chernukhin’s Business and Political Background

Lubov Chernukhin, a British businesswoman and former banker, is the wife of Vladimir Chernukhin, Russia’s former deputy finance minister who left the government in 2004. She has donated more than £2 million to the Conservative Party since 2014 and gained attention after bidding for a tennis match with Boris Johnson at a party fundraising auction.
Chernukhin has consistently stated that neither she nor her husband have any links to Vladimir Putin’s regime and has publicly condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Energy Talks and Company Connections

Records show that earlier this year, the Chernukhins registered a new company, Satellite Energy Systems, with Lubov listed as a director and Vladimir as the owner. The company, headquartered in the UK, describes its mission as “providing net zero energy where it is needed” and says it aims to deliver reliable, sustainable power solutions.

Tice, who previously led Reform UK before Nigel Farage and serves as the party’s energy spokesperson, has been a vocal critic of the government’s net zero targets. He said the meeting with Chernukhin focused on potential investment in UK gas power generation.

Tice Defends Meeting

Speaking about the engagement, Tice said the UK faces “a shortage of electricity and the risk of rationing and blackouts,” and that new gas power plants are essential to ensuring energy security.
“Lubov is interested in developing such a project and wanted to discuss it,” he explained. “If people want to invest in the UK energy system with reliable and cost-effective generation, creating jobs in the process, then I’m going to push and promote that as much as I can.”

He added that his schedule rarely allows extended meetings, and the visit provided a rare opportunity to hold in-depth discussions during parliamentary recess.

Response to Criticism

Critics described the hospitality as “troubling” given the Chernukhins’ connections and questioned whether it was appropriate for a senior Reform UK figure to meet with foreign-linked investors on matters of national energy policy.
Tice, however, dismissed such concerns, noting that the couple are British citizens and that Vladimir Chernukhin had left Russia two decades ago.
“Frankly, we probably should have listened and learned from him some time previously,” Tice said. “If Labour criticizes it, I might just remind them of that when we face higher energy bills and rationing because we haven’t got enough electricity in this country.”

He also clarified that there were no political motives behind the meeting. “This is about getting people to invest money in the UK as opposed to invest elsewhere,” he said, adding that he did not expect Chernukhin to start donating to Reform UK.

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Chernukhin’s Spokesperson Responds

A spokesperson for Lubov Chernukhin said:
“Luba is a British businesswoman, philanthropist and investor focused on promoting inward investment, local economic growth, and charitable initiatives both in the UK and abroad. She has multiple business interests and meets with a range of stakeholders. Luba remains a committed Conservative supporter and does not influence policy.”

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