Buying the Government

Got stuff stacked up to blog about, but you can wait.
For the time being though, what the blue blazing fuck is going on here?

I am left rubbing my eyes.

Did a not-obviously-insane member of the government — a corporate troubleshooter and Conservative life peer — really just stand up in the House of Lords and announce that a shadowy Foundation (that might or might not represent the Vatican) was offering the British government an investment of umpty-billion pounds in order to reboot the economy — free, gratis, with no strings attached?

Or am I just imagining the "no strings attached" clause?

Not one for conspiracy theories me, but this is all in Hansard and does contain weapons-grade WTF?

Any of you Common Purpose lizard people care to shed some light?