UK Politics

Liz Truss has refused to rule out slapping sanctions on Conservative Party donors with links to Russia, as the foreign secretary vowed to “inflict more pain” on Vladimir Putin’s regime.The cabinet minister defended the “very serious package” of sanctions announced on Tuesday, despite widespread criticism from both Tory and Labour MPs that the measures do not go far enough.Ms Truss said the UK has a “long list” of people complicit in the actions of the Russian leadership, who the government is willing to “turn up the heat” on unless Moscow pulls back its forces.Asked the government was willing to impose sanctions on Tory donors, the foreign secretary told Sky News: “We are very clear that nothing is off the table, in terms of who we’re targeting … I don’t rule out anything.”Grilled by host Kay Burley if the roughly £2m already donated by Russia-linked donors to the party would be given back, Ms Truss said: “All of the donations to the Conservative are declared from people who are on the electoral register in Britain.”The foreign secretary said: “What we’re taking about is people … closely linked to Vladimir Putin’s regime.”Ms Truss added: “There are many people who have moved from Russia to Britain who are not necessarily friends of Vladimir Putin, and who have become British citizens. That is a completely different matter to people who are close to Vladimir Putin who are backing his appalling regime.”Asked on BBC Breakfast if she was embarrassed to have attended a diner with major Tory donor Lubov Chernukhin, wife of a former Russian minister, she replied: “No I am not.”Boris Johnson faced criticism from all sides for not going far enough when he announced his clutch of measures – sanctions on five Russian banks and three individuals – on Tuesday.Labour’s David Lammy has said the government needs to implement much stronger sanctions, telling BBC Breakfast a threshold had already been “breached” by the Russian move to recognise the independence of separatist regions in the Donbas.The shadow foreign secretary said: “I think the mood of the entire House of Commons yesterday was that the government were not being strong enough …. backbenchers in the Conservative Party (are) hugely concerned that we’ve not been strong or hard enough.”Mr Johnson had to admit that he was mistaken when he told MPs on Tuesday that the Russian billionaire and Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich was “already facing sanctions”.Ms Truss said the PM had “misspoke” and “the record will be recorded”. Pressed on whether Mr Abramovich was one of those she would considering sanctioning, the foreign secretary said: “I’m not going to go into details into who is on our list for further sanctions.”The foreign secretary insisted the UK was ready to “escalate” sanctions and “inflict further pain” in the likely event of a full-scale invasion.Asked what a “full-scale invasion” would mean, Ms Truss said it would entail Russian troops moving into “other parts of Ukraine”, adding: “We will know it when we see it. We think it’s highly likely … What we are expecting is a full invasion, including Kyiv.”Liz Truss ‘not embarrassed’ by photo with Russia-linked Tory donorWriting in The Times, the foreign secretary said: “We have a long list of those complicit in the actions of the Russian leadership. Should Russia refuse to pull back its troops we can keep turning up the heat, targeting more banks, elites and companies of significance.”Beyond financial sanctions, Ms Truss added the UK was willing to introduce “measures to limit Russia’s ability to trade and prohibit a range of high-tech exports, degrading the development of its military industrial base for years”.The foreign secretary also said: “We’re clear that sovereign debt will not be able to be raised [in the UK] by the Russian government.”However, the government would need additional legislation to limit sovereign debt sales in the UK. “Should Russia not de-escalate, the UK will shortly introduce legislation which will … prevent Russia from issuing sovereign debt on UK markets,” a Foreign Office statement said.Ms Truss suggested the existing UK sanctions legislation should be enough to sanction members of the Russian parliament – as the government has vowed to do – but said legal work would still need to be done to make them “watertight”.She told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “We need to make sure that any specific sanctions of individuals are watertight so they can’t be legally challenged.”Ms Truss added: “So yes, we will work to do that over the coming weeks. But we do have the legislation in place. Any individual sanctions we put in place have to be legally watertight.” More

Boris Johnson has become the first prime minister to be questioned under caution by police, a leaked copy of Scotland Yard’s Partygate questionnaire for Downing Street staff suggests.As part of its investigation into allegations of 12 events in breach of coronavirus rules – six of which Mr Johnson is reported to have attended – the Metropolitan Police has sent questionnaires to all those suspected of rule-breaking.According to a copy of the documents, published by ITV News on Tuesday night, recipients are informed at the outset that they have an opportunity to provide “a written statement under caution”.The document reportedly tells recipients they “do not have to say anything but it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely on in court”, and advises them to “ensure the caution is read and understand prior to any answers to questions being provided”.This level of police questioning would be a historical first for a British prime minister – with Tony Blair having said he would resign in such an event when questioned by police during the cash-for-honours scandal in 2007.Mr Johnson has completed the questionnaire in relation to alleged parties, which the Met previously said had “formal legal status and must be answered truthfully”.According to the copy obtained by ITV News, recipients have been asked around a dozen questions, including whether they believe any “lawful exception” should be applied to gatherings and if they can provide a “reasonable excuse” for participating.Other questions include whether the person participated in a gathering on a specific date, what the purpose of that participation was, and whether or not the person interacted with anyone else.The document reportedly states that those sent the questionnaire are being provided with the “opportunity to cooperate with police in the form of a written statement under caution”.It says there are three ways to respond to the questionnaire – remain silent and answer no questions, provide an answer to the written questions in the attached document or provide a prepared statement in your own words.The police investigations follows allegations of frequent and excessive drinking by Downing Street staff, to the extent where a wine fridge was purchased and staff were dispatched to local supermarkets to fill a suitcase with wine.Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner said: “It is frankly a national embarrassment that Boris Johnson is now the first prime minister in British history to be questioned under police caution.“How on earth can he stay on and claim to uphold British law and order after this?”In an interview with the BBC on Sunday, Mr Johnson repeatedly refused to say whether he would quit if he broke the law, refusing to comment 17 times over the course of 11 minutes when asked about parties in Downing Street.Despite there being no obvious legal barrier to him doing so, the prime minister told the Sunday Morning show that there was “not a bean I can tell you about that, much as I would like to”.A Downing Street spokesperson said on Tuesday night: “We have confirmed the prime minister has been contacted by the Metropolitan Police. “We will not be commenting further while the investigation is ongoing.”Speaking to ITV, former Scotland Yard Chief Superintendent Dal Babu described the questionnaire as “pretty bland”, suggesting a “lawyer would perhaps give you a ‘get out of jail card’ in response to all of those questions”.He warned the questionnaire “doesn’t seem to be a particularly effective way of investigating” the scandal, adding: “What you would expect is somebody to sit down with the individual, go through the questions.”Additional reporting by PA More

Boris Johnson is coming under pressure to step up sanctions against Russia, after his initial tranche of banking-asset freezes and oligarch travel bans were dismissed as “tepid” and unlikely to deter Vladimir Putin from further aggression against Ukraine.The prime minister told the House of Commons that the sanctions on five banks and three billionaire Putin associates were a prelude to “much, much tougher” action if the Russian president persisted with the invasion of his neighbour.Western officials insisted that the move would have a “significant” impact on the Russian economy.But critics – including longtime Putin adversary Bill Browder, the financier behind the Magnitsky Act targeting Russian human rights abusers – dismissed the package as under-powered.The chair of the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, Tom Tugendhat, warned that the strategy of gradually ratcheting up the UK’s response risked giving the impression that Britain was giving Mr Putin “a free pass at an early stage” rather than drawing a line he must not cross.The former soldier said Mr Johnson – who had promised a “barrage” of measures if “a single Russian toecap” infringed on Ukrainian territory – should observe the military principle: “Clout, don’t dribble, to make sure the opposition knows you are serious.”Within hours of the PM’s announcement, Russia’s parliament agreed to a request from President Putin to use the country’s military forces outside the country, a move that could allow a broader attack on Ukraine.The UK’s intervention paled in significance against the announcement by German chancellor Olaf Scholz that he was pulling the plug on the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline that plays a central role in Mr Putin’s economic strategy.Meanwhile, the EU announced its own sanctions blacklisting 27 individuals and entities in Russia’s defence, banking and financial sectors, banning EU investors from trading in Russian state bonds and targeting imports and exports with separatist regions.After being briefed by military and intelligence chiefs at a pre-dawn meeting of the government’s Cobra emergencies committee, Mr Johnson told MPs it was clear that Mr Putin’s deployment of troops on a purported “peace-keeping” mission in the breakaway Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Luhansk amounted to a “renewed invasion” of the country.The PM said Britain would continue to seek a diplomatic resolution to the crisis “until the last possible moment”.But he said it appeared Mr Putin was “implacably determined to go further in subjugating and tormenting Ukraine” and the international community must prepare for the country becoming “the target of a full-scale war of aggression”.The banks subjected to bans on UK business activities – Rossiya Bank, IS Bank, General Bank, Promsvyazbank and the Black Sea Bank – have little presence in the UK.And the impact of asset freezes and travel bans for Putin allies Gennady Timchenko, Boris Rotenberg and Igor Rotenberg were expected to be limited as their international activities are already restricted by US sanctions imposed after the annexation of Crimea.Also to be sanctioned are members of the Duma house of Moscow’s parliament who voted in favour of the Russian-leaning “people’s republics”. And measures are to be taken to deny Russian access to London’s sovereign debt markets.Foreign secretary Liz Truss said the first wave of sanctions would “send a clear message that the UK will use our economic heft to inflict pain on Russia and degrade their strategic interests”, with further measures ready if Mr Putin does not “pull back from the brink”.But Mr Browder described the list as “pretty tepid”, pointing out that Russia’s two biggest banks and dozens of major plutocrats in Mr Putin’s inner circle were untouched.Mr Johnson was also forced into the embarrassing admission that he “misspoke” in telling MPs that Chelsea football club owner Roman Abramovich was subject to sanctions, while the Foreign Office mistakenly included the address of Russia’s central bank on its list of targeted institutions.A string of Tory MPs lined up to call on Mr Johnson to take more substantial action.Former party leader Iain Duncan Smith said Britain needed to “hit them with sanctions hard and hit them now”, while ex-chief whip Mark Harper called for assurances that there will be “further and stronger measures even if President Putin does no more”.Labour backed the sanctions, but renewed calls for the implementation of the recommendations of 2020’s Russia Report, in which parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee called for action to stem the flood of illicit Russian money within London’s financial institutions.Sir Keir Starmer warned against the slow application of deterrent measures: “If we do not respond with a full set of sanctions now, Putin will once again take away the message that the benefits of aggression outweigh the costs.”Oxford and Exeter university academic Dr Tena Prelec, part of a team researching international kleptocracy, said Mr Johnson’s “contained and reactive” measures risked being “too little too late”.“The UK remains a safe haven for dirty money, a great deal of which comes from Russia and Eurasia,” she said. “Failure to tackle this thriving billion-dollar industry is damaging for the UK’s rule of law and to the UK’s professed role as an opponent of international corruption.” More

Downing Street staff were asked to name a “lawful exception” or “reasonable excuse” for lockdown parties in No 10, a leak has revealed.The Metropolitan Police sent a written questionnaire to those in government suspected of breaking Covid regulations as part of their evidence gathering process over Partygate.The document, a version of which was obtained by ITV News, says that those accused are being given an opportunity to provide “a written statement under caution”.Questionnaires were reportedly tailored to different individuals under investigation, so will not be identical – but the example obtained by the broadcaster gives a flavour of what Mr Johnson was asked.It includes around a dozen questions, including: “Did you participate in a gathering on a specific date” and “What time did you leave”.Other questions include “Did you interact with, or undertake any activity with, other persons present at the gathering. If yes, please provide details”, and “What was the purpose of your participation in that gathering”.The document says people responding to the questionnaire can provide an answer to the questions put, send a statement in their own words, or remain silent.Downing Street confirmed on Friday that the prime minister has submitted his questionnaire, though he has not elaborated on what he said in it.In an interview on BBC’s Sunday Morning the prime minister refused an extraordinary 17 times to answer questions about the events, including whether he felt ashamed.A No 10 spokesperson said: “We have confirmed the prime minister has been contacted by the Metropolitan Police. We will not be commenting further while the investigation is ongoing.” More

First minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced that all of Scotland’s legal Covid restrictions, including the wearing of masks, will come to an end on 21 March.However, Ms Sturgeon said Scots should continue to self-isolate at home if they test positive “for now” – as she promised to set out a test and trace plan for Scotland in March.The SNP leader also vowed to uphold the “principle” of free Covid tests, putting her administration on a collision course with Boris Johnson’s government.Mr Johnson said free Covid testing for the public will be scrapped in England from 1 April, as he confirmed that the requirement to self-isolate will end in England on Thursday.Mr Sturgeon said it was “deeply regrettable” that she had no “clarity” on funding for continued testing in Scotland from the UK government.“We consider it important, in line with the principle of health care free at the point of use, that [tests] should remain free in any circumstance in which the government recommends testing,” she told the Scottish parliament.The SNP leader added: “It’s a principle we will seek to uphold in our longer-term plan for testing.”Ms Sturgeon said that lateral flow tests “will remain free of charge in the transition phase” during February and March – but she also eased the frequency of the testing her government expects.Instead of advice to test before going out anywhere, the first minister asked Scots to test for Covid “at least twice a week” – particularly if you are going to a “crowded place”.She added: “I also want to emphasise that in Scotland, for now, we will continue to ask those who test positive for Covid to isolate for the recommended period.”Mr Johnson said testing had become “much less valuable” in restricting the spread of Covid, and said the £2bn-a-month cost of the system meant the government had to “scale back” what it could offer.Ms Sturgeon made plain her “frustration at the position of the UK government” – and said her officials were still seeking clarity on whether the UK Treasury would “demand instead that funding is taken from elsewhere in the health budget”.Meanwhile, the first minister said Scotland’s controversial Covid certification scheme will “come to an end” on 28 February. She also announced on Tuesday that the legal requirement for people to wear face coverings in some settings would become “guidance” from 21 March.The first minister said using restrictions to suppress the spread of Covid was “no longer as necessary as once was” – saying the strategy was now to “manage Covid effectively”. More

A major row has broken out between cabinet ministers over a government proposal to ban the import and sale of fur and foie gras, the delicacy made from duck and goose liver.Downing Street is thought to have gone cold on the plan and is ready to ditch legislative moves after several ministers raised their concerns.Jacob Rees-Mogg, the new minister for Brexit opportunities, is among those opposed to the idea of restricting consumer choice, according to reports.Environment minister Zac Goldsmith, the main proponent of the ban, went public with the rift on Tuesday – saying colleagues were wrong to leave “cruelty” to consumer choice.“The public are strongly in favour of measures to curb the fur trade and foie gras,” the key ally of Boris Johnson told The Guardian.Lord Goldsmith added: “There are some who view the issue as a matter of personal choice, but no one would extend that principle to things like dog-fighting or bear-baiting.“So it’s not clear why fur farming or force-feeding geese, which arguably are associated with far greater levels of cruelty, should be any different.”Fur production is already banned in the UK, and British farmers are also banned from producing the liver-based French delicacy since ducks and geese are force-fed during its production.But government officials said in May last year that ministers would explore a ban on the import and sale of fur and foie gras under a raft of legislation designed at extending the protection of animals.Outlining his plans to get rid of unnecessary red tape and legislation, Mr Rees-Mogg said earlier this month that he wanted people “to tell me what it is in their daily life that the government does that makes their life harder – and if I can, I will push to get rid of that”.Sir Roger Gale, one of the Tory MP who has called for Mr Johnson to resign, suggested that the prime minister may be “trying to pander to the hard right in the Conservative party to see if he can prop up his administration”.He added: “It’s not going to please anyone except a few hard-right MPs who regard this as woke nonsense … But reneging on these undertakings will do more harm in the parliamentary party than good.”No 10 has declined to say whether Mr Johnson will back the ban on the import of fur and foie gras amid reports of cabinet opposition to the plans.Asked earlier this week whether Mr Johnson intends to ban the import of the product, his official spokesman said: “No decisions have been made on that.The No 10 spokesman added: “The production of foie gras from ducks or geese using force feeding is rightly banned in the UK – it’s incompatible with our own welfare standards.”Pressed if the prime minister would like to see a ban as part of the Animals Abroad Bill, he said: “I think we will need to wait for the bill, I’m not going to pre-empt that … you’ll see the position when set out.” More

Plans to force UK firms to put their goods through costly post-Brexit tests before they can go on sale have been plunged into confusion by a cabinet split.Businesses pushing for a U-turn – arguing the tests are needless red tape, where goods have been approved by the EU – had their hopes raised when Jacob Rees-Mogg said there was “no point” to them.But the “Brexit opportunities minister” has been slapped down by No 10, which says the “UKCA mark” will be introduced on 1 January next year, as planned.It means goods will have to be tested even if they already have approval to be stamped with the EU “CE” quality mark – despite criticism it will be a waste of time and money.Nick Thomas-Symonds, Labour’s shadow trade secretary, attacked the “confusion”, saying: “It is astonishing that the new Brexit opportunities minister seems to have no idea what government policy has been for the past three years.“Businesses have been crying out for support to help as trading changes come into effect but ministers have ignored their pleas.”And Hilary Benn, chair of the UK Trade and Business Commission, said the tests will be a further blow to companies already hit by post-Brexit import and export checks.“This very confusing episode for the government will give little confidence to businesses who must plan for the standards their products are expected to meet,” he said.Mr Rees-Mogg is under pressure to find “red tape” that can be removed – after Boris Johnson claimed a ‘Brexit Freedoms Bill’ will strip out £1bn of costs.He sparked surprise when he said, last weekend, that “there is no point in us repeating things that other organisations and countries do to a perfectly competent standard”.“If a widget is a good and effective widget, why do we need to put the cost on companies of testing it twice?” he asked, in an interview with The Times.“Doubling up on regulation is a non-tariff barrier. And it will be very bad for the UK because people will simply say, well, we’re not going to bother with that market.”But a Downing Street spokesperson told The Independent there is no intention to change policy, saying: “Products with the CE mark will require a UKCA mark from 1 January next year.”Mr Rees-Mogg’s comments sparked surprise because, only last week, business department officials told industry groups there would be no U-turn.William Bain, head of trade policy at the British Chambers of Commerce, said business groups did not believe the UKCA scheme was necessary or practical.“We need a clear cross-government message that it is willing to listen well and act pragmatically in the interests of UK businesses,” he told The Financial Times.Despite No 10 insisting it will not budge, the deadlines for meeting the new standards’ regime has been postponed twice, after business pressure. More