Boris Johnson ‘misspoke’ over Abramovich sanctions, PM’s spokesman confirms

Boris Johnson has “misspoken” when he claimed Roman Abramovich faced sanctions, his spokesperson has confirmed.

The prime minister was in the House of Commons yesterday, discussing the financial penalties imposed by the UK government on Russia after their invasion of Ukraine – which the country claimed is for ‘peacekeeping’ in two Ukrainian regions which have been declared independent states by Russia this week.

But as Labour former minister Chris Byrant noted whilst Johnson was leaving the chamber, it was “untrue” to claim Abramovich, a Russian billionaire who owns Chelsea FC, was amongst those already penalised.

Now that Downing Street said the PM would correct the parliamentary record, according to The Independent, Bryant tweeted: “If he’d waited in the chamber for two seconds he’d have have been able to clear it up there and then”.

“True but can’t remember him ever correcting the record before,” Labour MP Maria Eagle replied.

Correction

Whilst in the Commons, Bryant said: “I hope the Prime Minister could just stay for a brief moment. It relates to what he said about Roman Abramovich.

“I don’t think that is a courtesy to the House when the Prime Minister leaves in that way.”

He added: “The Prime Minister said that Roman Abramovich has been sanctioned. As I understand it that has not happened.

“I am sure the Prime Minister was completely inadvertent in giving a false indication. But it would be helpful if the Prime Minister could correct the record… these are important moments of fact.”

Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle said at the time: “If a correction is necessary, I’m sure it will be forthcoming.”

Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said the UK is ready to escalate sanctions against Russia if it fully invades Ukraine.

Truss stressed the sanctions placed by the UK government on Russia yesterday were “severe” but argued it is important to keep further sanctions “in the locker”.

She told the BBC: “The sanctions we’re putting in place are coordinated with the United States, they’re coordinated with Europe, to make sure that Vladimir Putin cannot play divide and rule amongst the allies.

“We’ve shown we are united and we will escalate those sanctions in the event of a full invasion into Ukraine.”

Who will be sanctioned by the UK?

Five Russian banks had their assets frozen under UK’s sanctions: Rossiya Bank, İşbank, General Bank, Promsvyazbank and the Black Sea Bank.

The assets of three Russian billionaires will also be hit by Britain’s travel bans: Gennady Timchenko, Boris Rotenberg and Igor Rotenberg.

“Any assets they hold in the UK will be frozen,” Boris Johnson said. “The individuals concerned will be banned from travelling here and we will prohibit all UK individuals and entities from having any dealings with them.”

But shadow foreign secretary David Lammy said “the mood of the entire House of Commons was that the government wasn’t being strong enough”.

Andra Maciuca

Andra is a multilingual, award-winning NQJ senior journalist and the UK’s first Romanian representing co-nationals in Britain and reporting on EU citizens for national news. She is interested in UK, EU and Eastern European affairs, EU citizens in the UK, British citizens in the EU, environmental reporting, ethical consumerism and corporate social responsibility. She has contributed articles to VICE, Ethical Consumer and The New European and likes writing poetry, singing, songwriting and playing instruments. She studied Journalism at the University of Sheffield and has a Masters in International Business and Management from the University of Manchester. Follow her on: