Lord Evgeny Lebedev Qualification: son of a Russian oligarch. Bright side: all of the other oligarch children at Eton now have a role model. To understand how it screws the rest of us sign up to Oligarchy newsletter by @OliverBullough https://www.codastory.com/coda-newsletters/

1/x here’s my story about freshly baked British Lord Yevgeny Lebedev. I once hung out with Lebedev and Lukashenka in Minsk. Lebedev, already owner of the Independent, then fancied himself as a journalist. He invited @BBCNewsnight along so we went http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-20030346

2/x the deal was that I wasn’t allowed to ask any questions. My plan was to jump in at some point but Lebedevs questions were so bizarre, that 20 minutes in Lukashenka turned to me and said: can you please help him out here. He then ordered vodka shots

3/x “what’s your opinion on group sex” was the weirdest in a long line up of odd questions. But the scene itself was bizarre. Luka mentioned Lebedevs father a few times. Then after the four hour interview was over the two of them disappeared on their own

4/x I waited for Lebedev and asked him what he talked to Luka about behind closed doors. He wouldn’t tell me. I asked him why he was going around the world on his private jet, bigfooting his own reporters and playing journalist while also cutting journo jobs at the independent

5/x He really really didn’t like that question. He was visibly upset. Walked away from the interview. Complained to Newsnight and tried to demand that his PR people looked at the cut of our film. I refused.

6/x tho I was also pretty upset because @BBCNewsnight, clearly under pressure from Lebedev team, decided to cut the question about him going around on his private jet and playing journalist while sacking dozens of reporters.

7/x Here is a detailed account of why that interview was so atrocious. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-20030346But

8/x But all water under the bridge. Independent is no longer the journalism voice it once was. And with protests sweeping Minsk, Lukashenka might not be the dictator he once was either. Yevgeny Lebedev, however, is now a Lord. Well done, Britain.