Russia has imposed fresh sanctions on 15 Members of Parliament and six peers in the House of Lords, accusing them of spreading anti-Moscow rhetoric and making “hostile statements.”
The targeted individuals are now banned from entering Russia.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the Russian Foreign Ministry condemned the UK for “demonising Russia” and “fabricating anti-Russian narratives,” as tensions continue to rise over Britain’s support for Ukraine.
MPs Sanctioned for Calling to Seize Russian Assets
The blacklist includes cross-party MPs who have publicly supported calls to seize frozen Russian assets and divert them to aid Ukraine’s war effort.
Those named include Labour MPs Phil Brickell, Jeevun Sandher, Johanna Baxter, and Blair McDougall, along with Liberal Democrats Alistair Carmichael, Chris Coghlan, Helen Maguire, and James MacCleary.
Also sanctioned are Stephen Gethins of the Scottish National Party and Democratic Unionist Party MP Jim Shannon.
Many of those listed have spoken out forcefully against the Kremlin and Vladimir Putin’s ongoing aggression in Ukraine.
Targeted MPs Respond: ‘A Badge of Honour’
Blair McDougall, a member of the foreign affairs select committee, called the move “a compliment,” adding, “This won’t stop British MPs from standing with the people of Ukraine.”
Phil Brickell, also on the committee, said: “I’ve seen the devastation Putin has caused in Ukraine. Sanctions won’t silence us. He must be held accountable.”
Jeevun Sandher, of the Treasury committee, likened the current geopolitical landscape to pre-WWII Europe, warning against appeasement. “If being sanctioned is the price for opposing tyranny, I’ll pay it,” he said.
Helen Maguire, the Liberal Democrats’ defence spokesperson, stated the sanctions would be “worn as a badge of honour.”
Peers and Past Precedents
Sanctioned peers include crossbencher Lord David Alton, former Labour MP Kevan Jones—previously on the Intelligence and Security Committee—and Ross Kempsell, an ex-adviser to Boris Johnson.
The majority of the MPs sanctioned—13 of the 15—were elected in 2024. This is not Russia’s first wave of bans on British politicians; in 2022, 287 MPs were blacklisted following the UK’s sanctions on Russian officials in response to the invasion of Ukraine.
The UK government has taken a tougher line on Russian assets this year, with Foreign Secretary David Lammy endorsing proposals to seize and redirect frozen central bank funds to support Ukraine.
However, European institutions including the European Central Bank remain cautious, citing legal risks tied to sovereign immunity.
