POLITICIANS in the North East are united in their condemnation of President Putin’s aggression towards Ukraine, but are launching broadsides of their own along party lines.
A war of words broke out last night as Russia escalated the pre-planned invasion of its neighbouring state, beginning the bloodshed in Eastern Europe.
The Government is facing criticism from the region's MPs for not clamping down on ‘dirty money’ from Russian oligarchs in the City of London sooner.
Meanwhile, there have also been calls to remove the whip from 14 Labour MPs, including two in the North East, who are said to oppose NATO, and have signed a statement from the Stop the War Coalition.
Conservative North West Durham MP Richard Holden said: “The invasion of Ukraine by the Russian regime is a tragedy for the people and a travesty for the world.
“The Government has my 100 per cent support and if Starmer wants to show that Labour stand up to this sort of foreign aggression against European democracies too then he needs to kick the Kremlin’s quislings like North East MPs Ian Mearns and Ian Lavery out of the Labour Party.”
Mr Mearns and Mr Lavery have been contacted for comment by the Northern Echo.
Labour North Durham MP Kevan Jones, who sits on the Intelligence and Security Committee, said the Government had not implemented any of the recommendations in the Russia report published less than two years ago.
It was commissioned in the wake of the poisoning of Sergei Skripal, a former Russian military officer and double agent for the British intelligence agencies, and his daughter, Yulia Skripal, in March 2018 in Salisbury.
Mr Jones said there ought to have been an economic crime bill to tackle money laundering through the City of London and UK economy, reform of Companies House so that Russian oligarchs cannot hide their ownership of company and assets in the UK and the transparency of wealth in oversea tax havens in the British oversea territories.
Mr Jones said: “The Russian attack on Ukraine is not just an attack on an independent sovereign nation, but an attack on the international rules-based order which underpins our western democracy.
“The Government announced sanctions this week were pathetically weak and a continue policy of inaction against Putin attempts to undermine the west.
“It is now two years since the Intelligence and Security Committee on which I sit produced its Russia Report and none of its recommendations have been implemented by the Government.
“We now need hard hitting sanctions aimed at those around Putin and continued military and intelligence support for Ukraine.
“We, along with our allies, also need to make it clear our strategy will be long term and enduring.”
The report, published in July 2020, said it would appear that the UK has been viewed as a ‘particularly favourable’ destination for Russian oligarchs and their money.
The UK’s rule of law and judicial system were also seen as a draw, the report said, and the UK welcomed Russian money, and few questions, if any, were asked about the provenance of this considerable wealth.
The report said: “It offered ideal mechanisms by which illicit finance could be recycled through what has been referred to as the London ‘laundromat’.
“The money was also invested in extending patronage and building influence across a wide sphere of the British establishment – PR firms, charities, political interests, academia and cultural institutions were all willing beneficiaries of Russian money, contributing to a ‘reputation laundering’ process.
“In brief, Russian influence in the UK is ‘the new normal’, and there are a lot of Russians with very close links to Putin who are well integrated into the UK business and social scene, and accepted because of their wealth.”
Durham City MP Mary Foy said Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is ‘unjustifiable’ and a ‘grievous breach of international law’.
The Labour MP said: “This is a horrifying assault on the sovereignty of a European democracy, and on the right of every Ukrainian to statehood, democracy and human rights.
“There must be a unified and robust response from the United Kingdom and all other likeminded free democracies who hold these values dear.
“Earlier this week I called out the Government for introducing feeble sanctions. “We cannot make the same mistake again.
“The Government must take the strong action that Labour has been calling for. Britain must clamp down on all those with links to Putin’s tyrannical regime and rid the City of London of the dirty money.”
On Thursday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the UK is to impose its “largest ever” set of economic sanctions on Russia, including looking to end use of international payment systems, freezing assets of all major Russian banks, limiting cash held by Russian nationals in UK banks and sanctioning more than 100 individuals and entities.
Grahame Morris, Labour MP for Easington, said war in Europe was a threat to global peace and security, and that Russia should immediately withdraw troops.
He said: “NATO should offer a route to de-escalation and a return to diplomacy.
“Russia cannot safeguard its security through aggression and compromising the security of its neighbour.
“Miscalculation does not have to lead to war and damaging economic sanctions.
“Russia must know they can return tanks and troops across the border and discussions do not have to be replaced with conflict."
Tory MP Matt Vickers, who represents Stockton South, said President Putin has chosen ‘the destructive path of war and bloodshed over that of peace and diplomacy’.
He said: “It is only right that the UK and the international community make good on their pledges to impose the strongest possible sanctions and support the people of Ukraine in any way possible."
Dehenna Davison, Conservative MP for Bishop Auckland, it was important to stand with the people of the Ukraine and do all we can to bring this conflict to an end swiftly.
She said: “Britain has a proud history of standing up for the values of democracy and liberty, so it is absolutely right that we take a strong stand against this shameful Russian aggression.
“Whatever excuses Putin may attempt to spin for his actions, this is clearly an invasion, and so we in the West must act with unity and with strength.”
Conservative MP for Sedgefield Paul Howell said: “I have to say that the false narrative about not invading and then effectively trying to rewrite history to provide justification to do precisely that does nothing but undermine Russia’s position on the world stage.
“I hope the rest of the world stands together in condemning and acting against this attack on democracy.”
Read more: County Durham woman flees Ukraine just before Russian invasion
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