Johnson: 287 UK MPs sanctioned by Russia should wear it as ‘badge of honour’
Hundreds of British MPs have today been hit with Russian sanctions, with Boris Johnson telling them they should wear it as a “badge of honour”.
The Russian foreign ministry today said 287 MPs were being sanctioned for taking “the most active part” in organising sanctions over Ukraine and engaging in “Russophobic hysteria”, however a chunk of those listed are not even in parliament any more.
This includes Dominic Grieve, Phillip Lee and the Prime Minister’s brother Jo Johnson.
Ministers such as Jacob Rees-Mogg and Penny Mordaunt, along with House of Commons speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle were also on the sanctions list.
Johnson, foreign secretary Liz Truss, defence secretary Ben Wallace and Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab had already been blacklisted by the Russian state before these set of sanctions.
“All those 287 should regard it as a badge of honour,” Johnson told MPs.
“And what we will do is keep up our robust and principled support for the Ukrainian people and their right to protect their lives, their families, and to defend themselves.
“That’s what this country is doing, and that has the overwhelming support, I think, of the whole House.”
Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov said the sanctions were also a retaliation for the UK government’s decision to sanction 386 members of the Duma last month.
A statement from the Russian foreign office said: “These persons, who are no longer allowed to enter 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.
“The hostile rhetoric and far-fetched accusations coming from the mouths of British parliamentarians not only condone the hostile course of London, aimed at demonizing our country and its international isolation, but are also used by opponents of mutually respectful dialogue with Russia to undermine the foundation of bilateral co-operation.”