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'Tory frontbenchers have sizeable investments in Zimbabwe'

29/06/2008

Conservative party frontbenchers have sizeable investments in Zimbabwe, a newspaper has claimed.

The United Nations, European Union and the US have all criticised the holding of a presidential run-off which saw Zimbabwe president Robert Mugabe as the only valid choice for the country's highest office.

Opposition candidate Morgan Tsvangirai withdrew his name from the ballot and sought refuge in the country's Dutch embassy citing fears of a government campaign of violence against his supporters as the reason for the move.

The Independent on Sunday reports that six Tory MPs as well as a Liberal Democrat parliamentarian have over £1 million in investments in Zimbabwe.

It cites shadow home secretary Dominic Grieve, shadow minister Robert Goodwill, shadow business minister Jonathan Djanogly, and Conservative MP Anthony Steen as having shareholdings in multinationals that had operations in the southern African country.

The news comes as Tory leader David Cameron called for business and individuals investing in the country to ensure that money invested did not go towards strengthening the government in power.

When contacted by the newspaper, Mr Goodwill and Mr Steen said they were not supporters of the regime, adding that they were hoping for better governance in the country.