Keir Starmer has warned Britons to be braced for “economic pain” after sanctions are imposed on Russia, but called for the toughest action to end Vladimir Putin’s “bandit rule”.
Experts warn that sanctions – while hitting Russia hard – will rebound the UK and other countries by sending already-soaring energy bills to new highs, as well as supermarket prices.
In his televised advice, in which he vowed the invasion must fail, Boris Johnson made no mention of the knock-on impact for British people already suffering a cost-of living crisis.
But the Labour leader said: “We must prepare ourselves for difficulties here. We will see economic pain as we free Europe from dependence on Russian gas and clean our institutions from money stolen from the Russian people.”
He added: “But the British public have always been willing to make sacrifice to defend democracy on our continent and we will again.”
In his own TV address, Sir Keir called for the Putin regime to see its “ability to function crippled”, so that it’s “bandit rule” comes to an end.
“This must be a turning point in our history. We must look back and say that this terrible day was actually when Putin doomed himself to defeat,” he said.
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