Arron Banks

[[File:Arron Banks.jpg|thumb|right|165px|Banks.]]{{UKpolitics}}

Aaron
 '''Arron Fraser Andrew Banks''' {{lived|1966}} is the money man and self-styled "Bad Boy of [[Brexit]]" and funded one of the main sister organisations of the Leave campaign, {{wpl|Leave.eu||.}} He first gained prominence when in 2014, he gave a million pounds to the [[United Kingdom Independence Party]] (UKIP), becoming one of its main beneficiaries.<ref> [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-29438653 "Ex-Tory donor Arron Banks gives £1m to UKIP"] [[BBC]] News</ref> However, his wealth and richness are very shady.<ref> [https://www.channel4.com/news/arron-banks-under-pressure-to-explain-brexit-funds "Arron Banks under pressure to explain Brexit funds"] Channel 4 News</ref> To [[Americans]] and many readers of this site, Arron Banks was one of the people in the notorious gold lift in [[Donald Trump|Trump Tower]] with [[Nigel Farage]] and Andy Wigmore.<ref>Oppenheim, Maya  [https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/donald-trump-nigel-farage-photo-arron-banks-raheem-kassam-andy-wigmore-garry-gunster-a7416836.html ''Who's in Nigel Farage's gold Brexit gang photo with Donald Trump?''] The Independent</ref>

His main background is in insurance, having initially worked as an underwriter at the well-known insurer {{wpl|Lloyd's of London}} instead of attending university. Afterwards, he later took over a tiny motorbike insurer, Motorcycle Direct, and helped turn it into the insurance outfit {{wpl|Eldon Insurance}}, which trades as itself as GoSkippy and does the insurance for Debenhams department store.<ref> [https://finance.debenhams.com/insurance/car-insurance/ Debenhams Personal Finance - Car Insurance]</ref> He also owns the insurer [https://sricl.com/ Southern Rock Insurance], based in the British overseas territory of Gibraltar, which underwrites Eldon. The flotation of Eldon on the smaller AIM stock market in 2017 made Arron Banks a multi-millionaire,<ref> Lucas, Paul [https://www.insurancebusinessmag.com/uk/news/breaking-news/arron-banks-eldon-plans-stock-market-listing-81340.aspx ''Arron Banks’ Eldon plans stock market listing''] Insurance Business UK</ref> leaving him with an estimated personal wealth of £20 million. 

The links between Eldon and Leave.eu were porous, with staff at the insurer and the Leave organisation in each others' shoes.<ref> [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-46224677 Staff 'switched between Brexit campaign and Arron Banks insurance firm'] BBC News </ref><ref> [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxzBxVEd0tQ&t=100s Largent trouble du Brexit] VoxPop - ARTE </ref> His [[Breitbart]]-esque website {{wpl|Westmonster}} works on the same premises as Eldon. 

Banks is also the director of around 35 companies in various [[tax haven]]s, including Rock Holdings in the [[Isle of Man]], one of the companies that fund Eldon.<ref> Waterson, Jim; Pegg, David [https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/nov/01/isle-man-company-allegations-arron-banks-leave-eu-brexit ''Revealed: Isle of Man firm at the centre of claims against Arron Banks''] The Guardian </ref> It was also revealed in the [[Panama Papers]] that he has links to companies in the British Virgin Islands.

==Diamonds are forever==
Banks is connected to several [[diamond]] mines in Southern Africa, in [[South Africa]], Lesotho and [[eSwatini]], pitching that the mines provide millions of pounds of diamonds. Journalists who have visited the mines said they were not active and didn't produce anything besides a few pebbles.<ref>Rugman, Jonathan [https://www.channel4.com/news/diamonds-guns-and-russian-cash-the-extraordinary-new-claims-against-arron-banks "Diamonds, guns and Russian cash: The extraordinary new claims against Arron Banks"] Channel 4 News</ref>

==The Russian connection==
Bankski is married to a [[Russia|Russian]], Ekaterina "Katya" Paderina, with whom he has three children in addition to the two children from his first marriage. He is also good friends with former Russian ambassador Alexander Yakovenko, having had several lunches with him. Banks alleges that these meetings were to do with [[gold]] and diamond mining operations in Russia; however, these are not confirmed. 

Katya Banks has a suspicious background, as she was good friends with Katia Zatuliveter, who in 2004 had her security clearance as an MP's intern removed due to the security services believing that Katia had connections with staff in the Russian embassy who were linked to the [[KGB|SVR]].<ref>Swinford, Steven,  Rayner, Gordon [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/8186328/Russian-spy-case-Liberal-Democrat-MP-helped-second-Russian-girl.html "Russian 'spy' case: Liberal Democrat MP 'helped second Russian girl"],''[[Daily Telegraph|The Daily Telegraph]]''</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Banks, Arron}}
[[Category:Alt-lite]]
[[Category:British people]]
[[Category:British right wing]]
[[Category:Conservatism]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Right-wing activists]]
[[Category:Vatniks]]

Categories: Alt-lite, British people, British right wing, Conservatism, Living people, Right-wing activists, Vatniks