Boris Johnson arrives in Poland amid Ukraine invasion
Boris Johnson will address the House of Commons during Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday and update the MP’s following his trip to Poland and Estonia as the UK has imposed further sanctions on Russia.
Nato intervention in Ukraine is “not on the agenda” and “is not being contemplated by any member”, Boris Johnson has stressed, despite the “evil” of Vladimir Putin’s war on Russia’s sovereign neighbour.
Speaking in Poland and Estonia as he visits Nato allies on day six of the war in Ukraine, the prime minister accused Mr Putin of wanting to “overthrow the Cold War order” and destroy the vision of a “free Europe”.
He added: “I cannot think of a time in international affairs when the difference between right and wrong, between good and bad, between good and evil, has been so obvious.”
Earlier, Dominic Raab, Mr Johnson’s deputy and justice secretary, warned that the Russian president could resort to “even more barbaric” tactics if his forces continue to meet resistance.
‘You’re afraid’: Tearful Ukrainian activist confronts Johnson
In an emotional confrontation during a press conference in Poland, Boris Johnson was challenged by a Ukrainian campaigner over UK’s declining support in bringing swift sanctions against Russian nationals in London or to no-fly zone.
Daria Kaleniuk, the executive director of the Anti-Corruption Action Centre in Kyiv, said she had to flee Kyiv and cross the border to enter Poland.
“Ukrainian women and Ukrainian children are in deep fear because of bombs and missiles which are going from the sky. Ukrainian people are desperately asking for the rights to protect our sky, we are asking for a no-fly zone,” she said.
“What’s the alternative for the no-fly zone? Nato is not willing to defend because Nato is afraid of world war three but it’s already started and it’s Ukrainian children who are there taking the hit.
“You are talking about more sanctions, prime minister, but Roman Abramovich is not sanctioned, he’s in London, his children are not in the bombardments, his children are there in London.”
Mr Johnson replied to the woman by saying: “I just want to say I am acutely conscious there is not enough we can do as the UK government to help in the way that you want”
“When you talk about the no-fly zone … unfortunately the implication of that is that the UK would be engaged in shooting down Russian planes, would be engaged in direct combat with Russia. That’s not something we can do,” he added.
Shweta Sharma2 March 2022 04:15
Liz Truss slaps sanctions on Belarus for supporting Russian invasion of Ukraine
Britain has slapped sanctions on Belarus in response to the eastern European country’s support for the Russian invasion of Ukraine, foreign secretary Liz Truss has announced.
The Foreign Office said the government was imposing its “first tranche” of sanctions against Belarusian military chiefs and organisations for assisting in Vladimir Putin’s aggression.
Read The Independent’s detailed report.
Shweta Sharma2 March 2022 03:56
Boris Johnson to address MPs after meeting British troops
Boris Johnson might face pressure to take further action on sanctioning Russian oligarchs and supporting Ukrainian refugees during his address to the MPs on Wednesday.
The British PM will address the House of Commons during Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday after his trip to Poland and Estonia where he met British troops on Nato’s flank with Russia.
The Foreign Office on Tuesday announced further financial sanctions on Moscow banks and banned Russia-linked ships from docking at UK ports.
Shweta Sharma2 March 2022 03:53
Good morning! Welcome to The Independent’s coverage of UK politics on 2 March, Wednesday
Shweta Sharma2 March 2022 03:39
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Andy Gregory1 March 2022 18:35
British Gas owner to exit Russian gas supply contracts
British Gas owner Centrica has said it will exit its gas supply agreements with Russian counterparts, including Gazprom following the invasion of Ukraine, my colleague Adam Forrest reports.
Chris O’Shea, chief executive officer of Centrica, said: “We intend to exit our gas supply agreements with Russian counterparts … We are working through the details of how best to do this. Additionally, we will ensure we are compliant with all relevant sanctions.”
It follows significant pressure from the government, with BP and Shell also moving to sever their ties to Russia.
Andy Gregory1 March 2022 18:25
Sir David Amess posthumously honoured as Southend-on-Sea receives city status
Prince Charles has formally presented Southend with the Letters Patent which grant it city status following the death of MP Sir David Amess.
Sir David, who had served as Conservative MP for Southend West since 1997, was stabbed last October during a constituency surgery at Belfairs Methodist Church in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex.
The 69-year-old, who had campaigned to make Southend-on-Sea a city, was posthumously made the first freeman of the new city in a ceremony on Tuesday.
Andy Gregory1 March 2022 17:56
MPs awarded £2,200 pay rise as Britain faces cost of living squeeze
The watchdog governing MPs’ pay has decided to increase the salary of the UK’s elected representatives by £2,200 from next month, my colleague Adam Forrest reports.
The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa) said basic pay would rise from £81,932 to £84,144 in April – a move like to spark outrage given the cost of living squeeze faced by millions of families.
The annual increase to MPs’ salaries will be 2.7 per cent, the same as the average increase in pay for public sector employees, following a two-year freeze in the wake of the Covid crisis.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has spoken out about a pay rise for MPs this April – saying recently that it “shouldn’t go ahead” given the severe cost of living squeeze facing the public.
Andy Gregory1 March 2022 17:40
Here is this update from the foreign secretary, who has been in Geneva today:
After a mass walkout from the UN Human Rights Council as Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov spoke earlier, Liz Truss had said his statement was “full of disinformation” and did not deserve the attention of other members.
In Estonia, Boris Johnson joined his defence secretary in contradicting Ms Truss’s comments on Sunday that she “absolutely” supports individuals who want to travel from the UK to Estonia to help the country defend against Russia’s invasion.
“The UK is not actively doing such a thing … we have laws in our country about international conflicts and how they must be conducted,” the prime minister said.
Andy Gregory1 March 2022 17:27
Boris Johnson warns Putin could look to ‘Grozny-fy’ Ukraine’s capital
Speaking with ITV News about what he predicts Vladimir Putin may do next, Boris Johnson said: “I think that he’s gone into a cul-de-sac and it’s very difficult for him to back out, and that’s the problem we’ve got.”
In a reference to Russia’s devastating assault on the capital of Chechnya at the turn of the millennium, Mr Johnson continued: “If you’re sitting where he is, his only instinct is going to be to double down and to try and ‘Grozny-fy’ Kyiv, if you know what I mean.
“And to reduce it to [rubble]and I think that that would be an unalterable moral humanitarian catastrophe and I hope he doesn’t do that. I hope he has the wisdom to see that there must be a better way forward but what he’s got to do is to disengage, with the column of tanks, 40km long going towards Kyiv, he needs to put those tanks into reverse or turn them round and that is the number one thing.”
Andy Gregory1 March 2022 17:19