Inside Politics: Calls for Johnson to get tougher on Russia

MPs on all sides of Commons urge PM to go further on sanctions as Putin gets ‘permission’ from his parliament to use military abroad and sends blood supplies to border, writes Matt Mathers

Boris Johnson has been urged to impose tougher sanctions on Russia as the Foreign Secretary said the Government was already considering a number of further measures to stop Vladimir Putin’s incursion into Ukraine (Joe Cook/PA) (PA Wire)

How many Russian oligarchs and banks must you impose sanctions against to dissuade Putin from starting a full-scale war with Ukraine? More than eight, appeared to be the swift and emphatic answer yesterday as the Russian president got “permission” from parliament to use the armed forces abroad – just hours after the UK announced a series of measures targeting bit hitters close to the regime and the institutions handling their cash. The west continues to insist that it is united in its response to Russian aggression; moves by Germany to put the brakes on the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline and the US’s own series of sanctions announced by Joe Biden last night suggest this is indeed the case. MPs on both sides of the House of Commons called for tougher action and more sanctions now. But does anybody really believe that penalising a few more billionaires and financial institutions in a kleptocracy will be enough to stop a man who believes he is on a messianic mission to restore his homeland to greatness? Putin, well versed in displays of raw power in the chess game that is geostrategic politics, is now moving blood supplies to the border, according to US intelligence. With each passing day, it is increasingly difficult to see how this quagmire can be resolved. Putin wants one thing and one thing only. So far Ukraine and Nato are not giving it to him.

Inside the bubble

Commons actions gets underway at 11.30am with women and women and equalities questions. PMQs at noon is likely to be dominated by the Ukraine crisis. Following the session is any urgent questions or statements. It is also Opposition Day in the Commons with Labour expected to lead debates on Russian aggression, illicit finance and the impact of poor-quality, non-commissioned exempt accommodation.