Sergei & The Westminster Spy Ring

£42,879.49

Raised

Donations

£46,300

Goal


NEW CITIZENS PODCAST SERIES TO EXPOSE TRUTH BEHIND RUSSIAN INTERFERENCE IN BRITISH POLITICS 


Why has the government refused to investigate Russian interference in our democracy? We plan to tell the story of how the Kremlin captured the British establishment. But due to mounting legal fees, we need one final favour to get this podcast across the line. Can you support us?


From exclusive parties at the Russian Embassy to the corridors of Westminster, journalists Carole Cadwalladr and Peter Jukes – with the help of Conservative party whistleblower Sergei Cristo – expose an alleged secret spy ring operating at the very heart of the British political system. This is the untold story of the most audacious Russian influence operation in British history. It involves honey traps, Russian agents and information warfare.

As we go to press, the Electoral Commission is now urging Keir Starmer to take a tougher stance on donations to political parties because Elon Musk —- the world's richest man —- wants to donate up to £80m to Nigel Farage’s Reform Party. We can’t let Elon Musk do in the UK what he has done in the US and buy our democracy out from under us. 

This brand new podcast from the Citizens and sister company Project Citizen, seeks to shine a light in the dark corners of a Westminster spy ring, and show how power infiltrates and subverts democracy. It’s why we at the Citizens, with your support, took a legal action against the UK government to protect our elections from foreign interference; a case that is now at the European Court of Human Rights. 

We know this podcast has been a long time in the making. We have been exposed to much higher legal costs then we anticipated and are now £10k over budget. It’s hard and increasingly costly to speak truth to power. If you can HELP US PLUG THIS GAP it would make an enormous difference to us. We operate on a shoestring budget and £10k is a very large sum for us. 


Why we need this podcast series


We have been campaigning for more than three years for a full investigation into the findings of the Russia Report. In August 2020, we joined forces with a cross-party group of MPs and peers to bring a legal action against the government for its failure to protect our democratic integrity. Our next step is to bring together for the first time all of the different threads of this story in a compelling podcast series and examine close-up the issue which our security services have identified as the single biggest threat to our national security. With your help, we think we can do it. 


Our legal challenge and this campaign is more important than ever as overseas actors like Musk threaten to consolidate power on both sides of the Atlantic by making use of a weak legal framework - one that our legal action seeks to strengthen. 


Your donations will help us cover our rising legal costs and take this podcast to the finish line. 


The Citizens is a non-profit organisation which is funded through grants from Ford Foundation, Luminate, Open Society Foundations and via public donations from our supporters. Read more about us at https://the-citizens.com/about-us/



Donor Wall255

Catherine | £10.64

Please support to save our democracy which is in tatters and under grave threat.

James and Dianne | £104.10

Ordinary people need to fund investigative journalism to hold the powerful to account.

Simon F Gee | £52.32

This podcast must be made and spread far and wide to wake up our sleeping electorate.

Simon and Cathie Orr | £10

Hopefully another brick in the downfall of this corrupt Conservative establishment.

Marcel Volker | £10.87

The truth will out, all the best!

Anonymous

Truth, transparency and accountability

Alison George | £52.18

The truth will out eventually but the harm done in the meantime is unquantifiable. Thank you for all you do to speak truth to power 🙏🏼

Joy | £10.87

Brilliant work you're doing here. Been following since 2017 despite family and friends thinking I was losing the plot. Good luck in your important endeavours.

Duncan Scott | £26.22

Lenore Simson | £26.41

We need the truth, our democracy and security have been compromised by Tories prepared to betray a nation for power and money.

Elin Gisladottir | £5.45

Sheila Ross | £21.23

Thank you - we need you too!

Anonymous | £26.41

phyllis hurr | £52.32

I assert my right to know what the Russians are doing to my country.

Kenneth Einstein | £26.41

Guy

Carole Cadwalladr you are a hero

Ian Power | £5.69

Sabine Bauckhage

Thank you for this important work.

Caroline Eagle | £10.64

John Carroll | £10.64

Danny Goodall | £5.69

Keep digging!

Andy | £26.22

Fantastic work Carole and everyone involved with fighting this story. Please keep going!

Simon

John Gabriel | £25

Paul Kay | £25

Matthew | £5

Sarah Naughton | £5.69

One of the most important stories of our time. Thank you for your fearlessness & tenacity Carole.

Martin Spittle | £10.87

neil dunkin | £52.32

Anonymous

Thank you for the work you're doing Carole! Your bravery, professionalism and dedication to bring to light Russia Report and it's findings is an example of what a Jurnalist should be.