Difference between revisions of "Moni Varma"

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Moni Varma is the Managing Director of the [[Veetee Rice Company]], one of the largest producers of rice in the UK. He gave more than £5,000 to the [[Labour Party]] in 1999-2000 and £10,000 in 2001. He used to work as a steel and commodity trader. Veetee Rice is based in Rochester, Kent.Their turnover in 1998-99 was £55 million. His personal wealth is estimated at £40 million.<ref>Available through: [http://www.red-star-research.org.uk/subframe5.html Red Star Research search function]</ref>
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[[File:Moni Varma.png|right|thumb|300px|]]
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'''Moni Varma''' is the managing director and founder of [[Veetee Rice Company]], one of the largest producers of rice in the UK.
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==Career==
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When Varma originally arrived in England in the early 1980s he intended to use in background in steel production in Malawi to start a plant producing reinforcement mesh. However, his relatives in northern India had other ideas and wanted to sell rice in Britain and wanted Varma to help with contacts.
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In 1987 [[Veetee Rice Company]] was set up and currently has a turnover of £80 million.<ref> Bob Sherwood and Melissa East [http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/00bb3526-c83e-11e0-9852-00144feabdc0.html#axzz3W32gzqBv UK rice king makes a name for himself] ''Financial Times'', 16 August 2011, accessed 1 April 2015 </ref>
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==Letter to the Telegraph==
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On 1 April 2015 Varma was one of [[Conservative Business Letter - Telegraph 1 April 2015| 103 business leaders who wrote to the Telegraph]] praising the British [[Conservative Party]]'s economic policies and claiming a [[Labour]] government would 'threaten jobs and deter investment' in the UK.<ref>Peter Dominiczak, [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/labour/11507586/General-Election-2015-Labour-threatens-Britains-recovery-say-100-business-chiefs.html 100 business chiefs: Labour threatens Britain's recovery], ''Telegraph'', 7 April 2015.</ref>
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Varma is a former [[Labour]] supporter who is now a [[Conservative]] backer.<ref> Ian Dunt [http://www.politics.co.uk/blogs/2015/04/01/labour-s-surrender-to-big-business-means-it-s-now-at-its-mer Labour's surrender to big business means it's now at its mercy] ''Politics'', 1 April 2015, accessed 8 April 2015.</ref>
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==Israel Advocacy==
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In October 2015, Varma signed a letter in ''The Guardian'' along with more than 150 people drawn from the arts and politics. The letter launched  [[Culture for Coexistence]], an organisation that opposes the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement.<ref>Harriet Sherwood, '[http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/oct/22/star-authors-jk-rowling-hilary-mantel-israel-palestinian-boycott-guardian-letter Star authors call for Israeli-Palestinian dialogue rather than boycotts]', ''The Guardian'', 22 October 2015, accessed 23 October 2015</ref>
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==Controversies==
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===Suing Mittal===
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In 2011 it was announced Varma planned to sue his former friend and Britain's richest man [[Lakshmi Mittal]] for allegedly going back on a multi-million dollar agreement to pay fees to Varma for helping to secure an oil deal in 2006 with [[Olusegun Obasanjo]], the former Nigerian president. At the time, Mittal dismissed the claim saying the claim will be defended vigorously.<ref> Rajeev Syal [http://www.theguardian.com/business/2011/jun/23/businessman-sues-lakshmi-mittal-oil-deal Lakshmi Mittal sued by former friend over Nigerian oil deal] ''Guardian'', 23 June 2011, accessed 1 April 2015 </ref>
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In 2013 the case was resolved at the 'eleventh hour' with an out-of-court settlement.<ref> Harriet Dennys [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/comment/citydiary/9911026/City-Diary-Lakshmi-Mittal-settles-oil-deal-feud-with-former-friend-Moni-Varma.html City Diary: Lakshmi Mittal settles oil deal feud with former friend Moni Varma] ''Telegraph'', 6 March 2013, accessed 1 April 2015 </ref>
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===Donations===
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<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="3" border="1" float="left" align="left" width="100%">
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<tr>
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<th bgcolor="goldenrod" width="20%">Date</th>
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<th bgcolor="goldenrod" width="20%">Name of donor</th>
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<th bgcolor="goldenrod" width="20%">Amount</th>
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<th bgcolor="goldenrod" width="20%">Donated to</th>
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<th bgcolor="goldenrod" width="20%">Subsidiary (parties only)</th>
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</tr>
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<tr>
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<td align="center">23/05/2001</td>
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<td align="center">Moni Varma</td>
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<td align="center">£10,000.00</td>
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<td align="center">[[Labour Party]]</td>
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<td align="center">Central Party</td>
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</tr>
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</table>
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<ref> Electoral Commission, [https://pefonline.electoralcommission.org.uk/Search/CommonReturnsSearch.aspx?type=basicDonationSearch Donation Search], accessed 1 April 2015 </ref>
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<br>
  
 
==References==
 
==References==
 
<references/>
 
<references/>
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[[Category:Labour Party Donors|Varma, Moni]]
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[[Category:Telegraph Letter General Election 2015|Varma, Moni]]

Latest revision as of 12:23, 23 October 2015

Moni Varma.png

Moni Varma is the managing director and founder of Veetee Rice Company, one of the largest producers of rice in the UK.

Career

When Varma originally arrived in England in the early 1980s he intended to use in background in steel production in Malawi to start a plant producing reinforcement mesh. However, his relatives in northern India had other ideas and wanted to sell rice in Britain and wanted Varma to help with contacts.

In 1987 Veetee Rice Company was set up and currently has a turnover of £80 million.[1]

Letter to the Telegraph

On 1 April 2015 Varma was one of 103 business leaders who wrote to the Telegraph praising the British Conservative Party's economic policies and claiming a Labour government would 'threaten jobs and deter investment' in the UK.[2]

Varma is a former Labour supporter who is now a Conservative backer.[3]

Israel Advocacy

In October 2015, Varma signed a letter in The Guardian along with more than 150 people drawn from the arts and politics. The letter launched Culture for Coexistence, an organisation that opposes the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement.[4]

Controversies

Suing Mittal

In 2011 it was announced Varma planned to sue his former friend and Britain's richest man Lakshmi Mittal for allegedly going back on a multi-million dollar agreement to pay fees to Varma for helping to secure an oil deal in 2006 with Olusegun Obasanjo, the former Nigerian president. At the time, Mittal dismissed the claim saying the claim will be defended vigorously.[5]

In 2013 the case was resolved at the 'eleventh hour' with an out-of-court settlement.[6]

Donations

Date Name of donor Amount Donated to Subsidiary (parties only)
23/05/2001 Moni Varma £10,000.00 Labour Party Central Party

[7]

References

  1. ↑ Bob Sherwood and Melissa East UK rice king makes a name for himself Financial Times, 16 August 2011, accessed 1 April 2015
  2. ↑ Peter Dominiczak, 100 business chiefs: Labour threatens Britain's recovery, Telegraph, 7 April 2015.
  3. ↑ Ian Dunt Labour's surrender to big business means it's now at its mercy Politics, 1 April 2015, accessed 8 April 2015.
  4. ↑ Harriet Sherwood, 'Star authors call for Israeli-Palestinian dialogue rather than boycotts', The Guardian, 22 October 2015, accessed 23 October 2015
  5. ↑ Rajeev Syal Lakshmi Mittal sued by former friend over Nigerian oil deal Guardian, 23 June 2011, accessed 1 April 2015
  6. ↑ Harriet Dennys City Diary: Lakshmi Mittal settles oil deal feud with former friend Moni Varma Telegraph, 6 March 2013, accessed 1 April 2015
  7. ↑ Electoral Commission, Donation Search, accessed 1 April 2015
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