UK Politics

Russia’s attempt to seize the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine is being hampered by weather conditions, because “Russians don’t like fighting in the rain”, Western officials have said.President Vladimir Putin has shifted his military effort towards the largely Russian-speaking Donbas area after failing to take Ukrainian capital Kyiv and losing 15,000 or more troops in a bitter war which has now stretched over two months.But Western sources said that his forces are making “slow progress” in the region because of stiff resistance from Ukrainian defenders, a failure to learn from tactical mistakes in the early stages of the war and an inability to cope with adverse environmental and weather conditions as torrential downpours turn muddy fields into quagmires for Russian heavy armour.“Russia has continued to build up forces in and around the Donbas,” said one official. “That’s an ongoing process and as they begin to try and prosecute targets, they are making minor gains.“But when they come up against genuine military objectives, they are finding it difficult to overcome the staunch Ukrainian resistance and they are suffering losses.“It’s not helped by the weather conditions at the moment in the Donbas, with heavy rain. The Russians don’t like to fight in the rain and that is slowing their progress.”He added: “This is what we are seeing in practice. They are not advancing in in heavy rain.“It’s also surprising that they have the ability to operate off the roads, and have done since the start of the conflict, but have chosen not to. It speaks to a bit of a miscalculation on their part in terms of how they employ their tactics, but also perhaps how they train to fight.”The Russian forces were displaying “poor tactical awareness of the environment” and continuing difficulties with logistical supply lines, which are vulnerable to Ukrainian special forces operating behind enemy lines, said the official.As a consequence, the reconstitution of forces moved from the northern front around Kyiv to join the assault in the east is taking “longer than expected”.The Russians have not yet been able to achieve their aim of encircling Ukrainian troops in the area, said one official.And he added: “Where they have encircled Ukrainian forces previously, it has not prevented the Ukrainians from continuing to fight – and for some period of time. We’ve seen that in Mariupol.”Even when encircled, the Ukrainians have still managed to resupply their forces for a surprising length of time. So, even with supply routes cut, anticipate that Ukrainians will continue to resist.”The UK has already contributed about £2bn in support for Ukraine, including £450m of military support, and Western officials said that Britain and its allies were now “stepping up” support for what they expect to be a “long haul” resistance to Russia’s incursion into the Donbas, requiring heavy artillery and armoured vehicle capacity.Welcoming the recent German announcement of heavy weapons, one Western official said: “We do think that Ukrainian need has changed as the focus of the new Russian campaign has shifted into the Donbas, where some of its advantages in artillery are more more easily applied. “The Ukrainian need for for greater range and more armoured vehicles is is absolutely critical. The more countries there are providing military support is great news.”In the longer term, the loss of 15,000 or more troops killed in action and vast amounts of weaponry, coupled with the impact of Western sanctions, is thought likely to constrain Putin’s ability to use military muscle to threaten Russia’s neighbours in future.“Russia will not be able to support the same level of threat that it does at this time,” said one Western official.“The Russians have lost experienced and elite forces. They’ve expended vast amounts of munitions, including advanced weapons.”Whatever happens next, they are going to take time to rebuild that expertise, the number of personnel and the equipment they need to pose a threat of any significant nature to others in the future.” More

Angela Rayner previously joked about a “mortifying” internet meme which compared her to Sharon Stone in Basic Instinct in an unearthed podcast episode.Claims made a Tory MP in the Mail on Sunday that the Labour deputy leader had crossed and uncrossed her legs at PMQs to distract Boris Johnson have sparked outrage at Westminster.The Daily Mail has now pointed to a January podcast with comedian Matt Forde in which Ms Rayner discussed the fact some people had made the comparison with the Basic Instinct scene.However, Ms Rayner made clear that she deplored the “misogyny” of press scrutiny over the way she dressed. “Every time I do PMQs everybody has an opinion on what I wear.”She said: “Did you see the meme about Sharon Stone like I was doing it at PMQs? I was mortified. They did this whole meme about me doing, you know, the whole … I was like, when did I do that?”Mr Forde asked: “What was the theory, that you were doing it to distract Boris?” Ms Rayner replied: “Doesn’t take much, does it? I don’t need to do that.”Tweeting about the appearance on Wednesday, Ms Rayner said she had told the comedian that “the sexist film parody about me was misogynistic and it still is now”.The Labour deputy also said the latest report in the Daily Mail “implies today that I somehow enjoy being subjected to sexist slurs. I don’t. They are mortifying and deeply hurtful.”She also said she hoped Mr Johnson would explain today what he would do to address the matter, following assurances “he would unleash ‘the terrors of the earth’ on Tory MPs spreading this vile sexism”.It comes as the editor of the Mail on Sunday refused to attend a meeting with Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle over the paper’s controversial report.Sir Lindsay told MPs on Monday he had arranged a meeting with David Dillon following an outcry over the claims made the Labour deputy leader.In his response, Mr Dillon said he would not be attending as journalists should “not take instruction from officials of the House of Commons, however august they may be”.In his letter, he said his paper “deplores sexism and misogyny in all its forms”, adding: “However journalists must be free to report what they are told by MPs about conversations which take place in the House of Commons, however unpalatable some may find them.”Earlier, in a statement, Sir Lindsay said he wanted to use the meeting to ask that “we are all a little kinder”, issuing a plea to reporters to consider the feelings of MPs and their families when covering stories in parliament.He made the point that he had only recently rejected calls to remove the parliamentary pass from another journalist after some MPs called for the newspaper’s political editor Glen Owen – who wrote the report about Ms Rayner – to have his pass removed.“I firmly believe in the duty of reporters to cover parliament, but I would also make a plea – nothing more – for the feelings of all MPs and their families to be considered, and the impact on their safety, when articles are written,” said Sir Lindsay.Appearing on ITV’s Lorraine programme on Tuesday, Ms Rayner said she had appealed to the paper not to run the story, based on claims by an unnamed Tory MP. More

The fallout from The Mail on Sunday’s ’Basic Instinct’ article on Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner continues to bubble on with the newspaper’s editor David Dillon rejecting Speaker Lindsay Hoyle’s invitation to meet and discuss the article.Scroll down to enter our reader poll and let us know your thoughts in the commentsThe story published on Sunday claimed that an unnamed Tory MP had told the newspaper Ms Rayner crossed and uncrossed her legs on the Labour front bench during Prime Minister’s Questions in an attempt to distract Boris Johnson. The paper likened the claims to a scene from the 1992 erotic thriller Basic Instinct and said she was trying to put the PM “off his stride”.Since then, amid widesporead condemnation, Mr Johnson called the comments “misogynistic tripe”, while Labour leader Keir Starmer said that it was part of a “sexist” culture in parliament which must be changed.Harriet Harman, the longest serving female MP in parliament, has demanded change to the Commons code of conduct to make misogyny an offence punishable by suspension from the house.We want to know what you think. Do you think MPs should be suspended over misogyny? Cast your vote in our reader poll below and let us know what you think in the comments.Check back soon to see the results of the reader poll. More

The Supreme Court has thrown out a British pensioner’s legal challenge against government pilot schemes that required voters to show ID. Neil Coughlan from Essex had argued trials held in a number of constituencies in 2019 elections were unlawful. His case was dismissed by the UK’s top court on Wednesday, which ruled in the Cabinet Office’s favour instead. The 67-year-old former councillor told The Independent he was a “bit disappointed” but felt his legal challenge – although lost – helped to raise an important issue.He said: “It was worthwhile because I still think it is wrong and we don’t need to do it. And it will disenfranchise people.” Millions are estimated to be affected by plans being pushed through by the Tory government to make voters show ID at the ballot box. The Supreme Court said the appeal did not concern “the merits” of controversial voter ID schemes but rather the legality of the trials. It ruled on Wednesday the Cabinet Office was pilot schemes were lawful on both counts challenged by Mr Coughlan. The UK’s top court said they were within the legal powers of the Cabinet Office and their purpose was lawful, as an act allows trials that gather “information to assist in the modernisation of electoral procedures in the public interest”. Mr Coughlan said: “I am very disappointed by the outcome, but the fact that the Supreme Court decided to hear the case reflects the importance of the issues.”The pensioner – who previously said he did not own photo ID – said he remained “determined to fight and campaign against any future moves” to make identification a legal requirement to vote at polling stations.“I am convinced the change will prevent and deter people from voting and presents a threat to our democracy.”He previously told The Independent he believed showing identification at the ballot box would “unfairly discriminate” against those “unable to provide identification with the same ease” others take for granted. Charities have raised concerns about voter ID, citing research that marginalised groups are less likely to own photo ID, as they could be less likely to go abroad or own a car.Last year, cross-party group of MPs warned the move risked disenfranchising voters and reducing turnout at elections.Tessa Gregory, Mr Coughlan’s lawyer from Leigh Day, said: “The case presented an opportunity for the court to recognise the right to vote in local elections as a constitutional right, but the court instead focused on the wording of the legislation at issue and found that it was broad enough to cover the introduction of voter ID in pilot schemes.”The legal challenge reached the Supreme Court after being dismissed by both the High Court and Court of Appeal. More

Keir Starmer has branded Boris Johnson “the comical Ali of the cost of living crisis”, as he mocked the unambitious contents of the package of support for households discussed by cabinet on Tuesday.Proposals to save drivers £25 a year by cutting the frequency of MOT tests were the equivalent of John Major’s derided “cones hotline” in the 1990s, the Labour leader told prime minister’s questions in the House of Commons.In furious exchanges a week ahead of crucial local elections, Mr Johnson named a string of Labour councils which he said had gone bankrupt, and hailed his own successes in dealing with Covid and protecting jobs.But Sir Keir said there was little sign in the prime minister’s comments of the debating skills which an unnamed Tory MP told the Mail on Sunday gave him the edge over deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner, with her comprehensive school education.“This must be the Oxford Union debating skills we’ve been hearing so much about,” said Starmer, to laughter from the Labour benches.“Failing to answer the question, mumbling incoherently, throwing in garbled metaphors – powerful stuff, prime minister.”Sir Keir compared Mr Johnson to Saddam Hussein’s spokesman at the time of the Iraq War, who became a figure of fun globally for continually insisting that things were going well against all the evidence.And he added: “Here’s the problem – it is not just his words that are complacent. It’s his actions as well.“The cost of living crisis was blindingly obvious months ago. But he said worries about inflation were unfounded. And he backed a tax-hiking budget.“Does he think that his choice to be the only leader in the G7 to raise taxes during the cost of living crisis has made things better or worse for working people?”Mr Johnson insisted that the government was acting “in all sorts of ways” to help British people get through what he said was “a crisis of global inflation”, including by chancellor Rishi Sunak’s decision in the spring mini-budget to reverse a portion of April’s 1.25 per cent rise in National Insurance contributions.He cited figures showing the UK had the fastest GDP growth of any G7 nation last year. And he again quoted figures suggesting that there are 500,000 more people in “paid employment” than before the pandemci, which do not include the dramatic slump in self-employment which means the overall total of people in work is down by around 600,000.But Starmer said the PM was like “an ostrich, perfectly happy keeping his head in the sand”, pointing to forecasts that the UK will tumble down the growth tables in the years to come.“In the real world, our growth is set to be slower than every G20 country except one – Russia,” said the Labour leader. “Our inflation is going to be double the rest of the G7.“Does he think that denying the facts staring him in the face makes things better or worse for working people?”Mr Johnson replied that IMF forecasts indicate the UK could regain its position as fastest-growing economy in the G7 by 2024 and 2025. More

Russia’s foreign ministry has imposed sanctions on 287 members of the House of Commons in retaliation for UK measures over the Ukraine invasion.Two months into the Kremlin’s illegal invasion, the country’s ministry said that “personal restrictions”, including travel bans, would be placed on the MPs, accusing them of fuelling “unwarranted Russophobic hysteria”.Speaking in the Commons chamber during prime minister’s questions, Boris Johnson said the sanctions, however, should be regarded as a “badge of honour” by MPs.Earlier this month Moscow blacklisted senior members of the government from travelling to Russia, including Mr Johnson, foreign secretary Liz Truss, and defence secretary Ben Wallace, alongside former prime minister Theresa May.Among those on the new list of 287 MPs – unveiled on Wednesday – are Commons speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle as well as cabinet members including minister for Brexit opportunties Jacob Rees-Mogg and environment secretary George Eustice.Others include the former Conservative minister David Davis, who responded to the news of the sanction: “How will I ever cope…”Former Tory chief whip Mark Harper added: “Proud to be on this list with many of my colleagues in the House of Commons. “Russia really hates being called out for their illegal invasion of Ukraine and disgraceful war crimes. The United Kingdom stands with Ukraine.”While the majority are Conservative MPs, 74 Labour MPs also appear on the list circulated by the foreign ministry, including former frontbenchers Margaret Beckett, Diane Abbott and Ian Lavery.However, others who appear on the list, including former attorney general Dominic Grieve and former education secretary Justine Greening, are no longer MPs, having stood down at the 2019 general election.Weeks into the invasion, on 11 March, the UK imposed sanctions on 386 members of the Russian Parliament who voted in favour of Vladimir Putin’s actions in the Lukhansk and Donetsk regions of eastern Ukraine.A translation of a statement reported by state-owned Russian news agency RIA Novosti said the sanctions were being applied “on the basis of reciprocity”.“These persons, who are now banned from entering the Russian Federation, took the most active part in the establishment of anti-Russian sanctions instruments in London (and) contribute to the groundless whipping up of Russophobic hysteria in the UK,” it read.“The hostile rhetoric and far-fetched accusations coming from the lips of British parliamentarians not only condone the hostile course of London, aimed at demonising our country and its international isolation, but are also used by opponents of a mutually respectful dialogue with Russia to undermine the foundation of bilateral co-operation.” More

Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross has been condemned for claiming that trans women are not women and cannot use single-sex toilets.The senior Tory MP and MSP was accused by LGBT+ campaign group the Equality Network of being “woefully misinformed and confused”.Asked on the BBC programme The Nine if trans women are women, Mr Ross replied: “No. She is a female, sorry, she is a male who has changed her sex but has not changed her gender.”Mr Ross was also grilled about his own pledge to ensure there are single-sex spaces available in all council-run facilities. Asked if trans women can use the women’s single-sex facilities, he said: “No, they can’t.”The Equality Network pointed out that it is unlawful under the Equality Act “for public services to have a blanket policy of excluding trans people from services that match their lived sex”.Mr Ross admitted on Wednesday morning that he “misspoke” on the interview – but stood by his remarks on biological sex and the importance of single-sex spaces.He told BBC Good Morning Scotland: “I’m very clear that people can change their gender, they cannot change their sex. They’re biologically born male or female, but there are options to have gender-neutral changing rooms and toilets.”The MP for Moray said that in his own Highland council area “there were proposals for schools to have all gender neutral toilets but parents and pupils raised concerns and they’ve now gone back to the drawing board”.He added: “There will be male changing rooms, female changing rooms and there will be gender neutral changing rooms.”Asked by the BBC if people should be able to complain if they suspect a trans person of using single-sex facilities, Mr Ross said: “Yes. And that is really serious and this is what it comes down to is, women feeling safe in their own spaces.”The SNP MSP Karen Adam criticised Mr Ross on Twitter, accusing him of “trying to roll back the 2010 equality act via council elections while mixing up your transphobic lines that were fed to you”.The Equality Network said the Tory local election pledge “shows no consideration at all for trans people, or for the experiences of those who have been successfully running trans-inclusive single-sex services for years”.A spokesperson added: “Difficult not to conclude that this is simply attempting to gain votes from a ‘culture war’.” More

Liz Truss has appeared to backtrack on a call for Ukraine to be sent war planes to boost its fight against Russia – saying she only wants “plane parts” to be delivered.In a speech today, the foreign secretary will say: “Heavy weapons, tanks, aeroplanes – digging deep into our inventories, ramping up production. We need to do all of this,” according to an advance briefing.But the call would amount to a major reversal of Nato policy so far, which has seen the US reject a Polish plan to deliver fighter jets for fear of provoking a wider conflict with Vladimir Putin.Dominic Raab, the deputy prime minister, failed to back a rethink, saying only that the West should “listen very carefully to what the Ukrainians need”.However, it is understood that Ms Truss is not calling for the UK to send fighter planes, but will back Washington’s existing drive to ensure “plane parts” reach Ukraine.She will argue it is “legitimate” for other Nato countries to send planes should they wish to do so, an option that “should be on the table”.The clarification comes after the foreign secretary was embarrassed over her backing, at the start of the war, for British mercenaries to join the fight in Ukraine.The idea was quickly dismissed by other ministers – and Ms Truss tried to deny advocating it, despite giving her support in a TV interview.The confusion follows a warning from a senior Conservative that Boris Johnson is failing to explain what is “mission success” in Ukraine, as the war drags on into its third month.Tobias Ellwood, a former defence minister, said Nato’s policy must be to force Russia out of the eastern Donbas region, where experts fear a long bloody stalemate now looms.“The unanswered question I hope the foreign secretary will address is ‘what are we collectively trying to achieve? What is mission success’?” he said.In a major speech this evening, Ms Truss will warn that the world “will never feel safe again” if Putin is allowed to win in Ukraine.She will call for higher defence spending across the West, saying: “We cannot be complacent – the fate of Ukraine remains in the balance.“And let’s be clear, if Putin succeeds there will be untold further misery across Europe and terrible consequences across the globe. We would never feel safe again. So we must be prepared for the long haul and double down on our support for Ukraine.“Heavy weapons, tanks, aeroplanes – digging deep into our inventories, ramping up production. We need to do all of this,” the briefing read.Asked if he agreed with sending war planes, Mr Raab said only: “I certainly don’t think we should be avoiding providing support to Ukraine at this critical moment in the war. And the Foreign Secretary is right about that.”Pressed on providing planes specifically, he added: “We need to listen very carefully to what the Ukrainians need and help with our allies to provide them with the military support, so that they win and so that Putin loses, and that’s part of it, so is the sanctions.” More