www.rt.com/uk/430327-ofoc-brexit-donor-funding/
Cut and Paste:
“OFOC is one of a plethora of pro-remain groups that have been set up during or after the EU Referendum in 2016. The group registered the organisation to companies house in February this year and soon after raised £12,762 through crowdfunding in March.
The group’s homepage admits that “OFOC is powered by: Best for Britain, Open Britain, The European Movement, and the GCG [Grassroots Co-ordination Group]”, all large established pro-Remain groups, predominantly funded by Tory, Liberal and former Labour donors. The GCG is chaired by Chuka Umunna MP, a known Corbyn-critic.
They share office space with six anti-Brexit groups; Best for Britain, Open Britain, European Movement, Britain for Europe, Scientists for EU, Healthier IN and InFacts that have been brought together by Umunna’s GCG”.
Latest Soros bid to reverse EU referendum enrages Brexiteers
Best For Britain (BfB), a campaign launched by Gina Miller last year, is the best funded organisation with a staggering £2.4m ($3.1m) in funding, £500k ($660k) of which coming from billionaire philanthropist George Soros, according to the Guardian. They are looking for a further £3.2m ($4.2m) according to Paul Butters, BfB’s director of communications and former spokesperson to Ex- Lib Dem leader, Tim Farron.
According to Red Robin, the Scottish left wing blog BfB spent £353,118 ($465k) between June 2016 and June 2017, backed several candidates against Labour candidates in the 2017 General Election, including the Liberal Democrat’s Tom Brake and Ed Davey.
Although BfB claims much of its funding comes from small donors, significant sums have been given to the group by Virgin billionaire Sir Richard Branson (£25k, $33k), Liberal Democrat Anatole Kaletsky (£20k, $26k), and Tory donor Stephen Peel who told the Observer he was giving the anti-Brexit group £100k ($131k) because it was “the most important political issue of a generation and one about which I deeply care”.
The European Movement meanwhile is predominantly funded by former Progress donor, Lord David Sainsbury, who has recently stated he would not be funding political groups anymore, to turn his attentions charitable causes.
RT has reached out for comment from OFOC as to what their connections are to the larger, well funded groups - does “powered by” simply mean supported or financially backed? Certain administrative support would have to be declared to the electoral commission in the event of another referendum. At the time of writing OFOC had not responded to our email.
www.rt.com/uk/430327-ofoc-brexit-donor-funding/
The Guardian article makes these activist sound like a group of student labour members. In fact they are Momentum members and actively are campaigning against Brexit and against the Labour party, they purport to belong to. They are a registered Ltd Company and this is the second Ltd Company, the first one started by OLUWOLE, Olufemi Oluseun Matthew when he was the only Director owing 75% of the business now closed and formed into the present OFOC.
Companies House Information:
Registered office address
71-75 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London, England, WC2H 9JQ
Company status
Active
Company type
Private company limited by guarantee without share capital
Incorporated on
19 February 2018
Accounts
First accounts made up to 28 February 2019
due by 19 November 2019
Confirmation statement
First statement date 18 February 2019
due by 4 March 2019
Nature of business (SIC)
•94920 - Activities of political organisations
Mrs Lara Spirit ACTIVE
Correspondence address
41 Donnington Bridge Road, Oxford, United Kingdom, OX4 4AZ
Notified on
19 February 2018
Date of birth
December 1996
Nationality
British
Nature of control
Ownership of voting rights - More than 25% but not more than 50%
Country of residence
United Kingdom
Mr Will Dry ACTIVE
Correspondence address
41 Donnington Bridge Road, Oxford, United Kingdom, OX4 4AZ
Notified on
19 February 2018
Date of birth
January 1998
Nationality
British
Nature of control
Ownership of voting rights - More than 25% but not more than 50%
Country of residence
United Kingdom
Directors & Secretaries
For a full in-depth analysis on each of these directors, click any of the links below
NameRoleDate Of BirthAppointedResigned
MRS LARA SPIRIT
Company Secretary-19 Feb 2018-
MRS LARA SPIRIT
DirectorDec 199619 Feb 2018-
MR WILL DRY
DirectorJan 199819 Feb 2018-
MR FEMI OLUWOLE
DirectorMar 199019 Feb 2018-
MR CALUM MILLBANK-MURPHY
DirectorMay 199219 Feb 2018-
This was the original Company: Our future; Our Choice Ltd Company number 11094494
OLUWOLE, Olufemi Oluseun Matthew
Correspondence address
15 Samsara Road, Bromsgrove, United Kingdom, B60 2TQ
Role ACTIVE
Director
Date of birth
March 1990
Appointed on
4 December 2017
Nationality
British
Country of residence
United Kingdom
Occupation
Human Rights Advocacy Trainee
75% voting rights
So not so grassroots after all!