Starmer calls on PM to sanction ‘every Russian oligarch’ with UK assets
Sir Keir Starmer has called on Boris Johnson to sanction “every oligarch and crack open every shell company” to shut out dirty Russian money from the UK.
The Labour leader said Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich should in particular be targeted immediately, along with former Russian deputy PM Igor Shuvalov who has properties worth more than £11m near Westminster.
“The Russian people are not our enemy, they are the victims of thieves who have stolen their wealth and stolen their chance of democracy,” Starmer said.
“For too long Britain has been a safe haven for stolen money and Putin thinks we’re too corrupted to do the right thing and put an end to it. This house and this country stand united in our support for Ukraine, and now is the time to sanction every oligarch and crack open every shell company so we can prove Putin wrong.”
Johnson said he would not comment on individual Kremlin-linked oligarchs, but that he would soon ” publish … a list of all those associated with the Putin regime”.
A Number 10 spokesperson was unable to give more details on the list or whether the government would level asset freezes and other economic sanctions at those listed.
Johnson also defended the UK’s sanctions regime during Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs), which has seen 100 Russian “people and entities” sanctioned.
Business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng also outlined plans on Monday to crack down on money laundering by overseas governments and organised crime gangs.
Johnson said the “vice is tightening on the Putin regime and it will continue to tighten”.
However, out of the 100 “entitites” sanctioned only 10 are people – eight Kremlin-linked oligarchs, Vladimir Putin and Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov.
The EU has sanctioned dozens of Russian oligarchs and Kremlin figures, including major Everton Football Club sponsor Alisher Usmanov and London-based billionaire Mikhail Fridman.
Senior Labour MP Chris Bryant hit out at the Kremlin’s enablers in the City who are refusing to sever their ties with Putin-linked firms.
He said: “Why don’t we use parliamentary privilege to get this out there, so the lawyers can’t attack the sanctions that we must surely bring, rapidly, today?
“We’re not guaranteeing the territorial integrity of Ukraine. We’re not even sanctioning Sergei Shoygu, the Russian defence minister yet. Nor Igor Osipov, the commander of the Black Sea fleet, or Usmanov, Chechin, Peskov, Abramovich, Roldugin, or the members of the Russian Duma who voted for this war.”
It comes as Abramovich is now reportedly trying to sell Chelsea and his London property portfolio in a bid to escape potential sanctions from the British government.
The Putin ally is trying to sell the reigning Champions League holders for £3bn, after buying the club for £140m in 2003.