Catalogue description Robert John Graham BOOTHBY MP, alias Lord BOOTHBY: British. A Member of Parliament since...

Robert John Graham BOOTHBY MP, alias Lord BOOTHBY: British. A Member of Parliament since 1924, BOOTHBY came to notice in 1936 as a supporter of the Friends of the Soviet Union. His business activities in the arms trade brought him into contact in the early years of World War II with dubious characters such as Richard WEININGER (a suspected German agent) and J R FRANCOTTE (arrested by the French for espionage). BOOTHBY was in debt to WEININGER and stood to receive a commission from him if WEININGER benefitted from the release of Czech assets blocked in the UK. BOOTHBY's failure to declare this personal interest during a debate in Parliament led to his resignation as a Minister following the investigation and report of a Select Committee; he then served in the RAF Reserve for a year. After the war was in close touch with Sir Oswald MOSLEY and was an active member of the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe. Later, in the 1960s, he became involved with the promotion of East European trade