Bolton West MP Chris Green sanctioned by Russia

The Russian foreign ministry said on today that it was taking action against 287 members of the House of Commons in response to sanctions against Russian politicians, though its list contained numerous former MPs.

Bolton West MP Chris Green is among those on the list.

He told The Bolton News: “Well I didn’t expect that when I woke up this morning.

“But it’s clear that there are so many failings of Vladimir Putin’s leadership that he feels the need to take measures like this.”

The Prime Minister Boris Johnson told sanctioned MPs to “regard it is a badge of honour.”

Mr Green said: “I don’t feel it as a personal badge of honour.

“The government are doing so much for Ukraine, and not just in this recent conflict but since the Russian invasion in 2014.”

He posted a screenshot of the statement on Facebook, saying how President Putin had “taken time out of his busy schedule from bombing hospitals and invading innocent countries to sanction me and other MPs who have been most robust in challenging his illegal war.”

Foreign minister Sergei Lavrov’s department announced the move in response to the UK sanctioning 386 members of the Duma, the lower house of the Russian parliament, last month.

The sanctions list also includes ministers Jacob Rees-Mogg, Amanda Milling and Penny Mordaunt, as well as Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle.

Tory former chief whip Mark Harper said he is “proud” to be included, ex-minister Andrew Murrison said he is “delighted”, while former Brexit secretary David Davis joked: “How will I ever cope?”.

But the supposed list of “members of the Conservative Party faction in the House of Commons” appeared well out of date.

Charlie Elphicke, who was thrown out of the party and jailed after being found guilty of three counts of sexual assault, was also included.

So too were Sir Oliver Letwin, Dominic Grieve and Justine Greening – who all had the whip withdrawn for rebelling over Brexit and were no longer Ps after the 2019 election.

Speaking during Prime Minister’s Questions, Mr Johnson said: “It’s, I think, no disrespect to those who haven’t been sanctioned when I say that all those 287 should regard it as a badge of honour.

“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.”

Sir Lindsay said he is “alarmed” at the sanctions, while Labour MP Chris Bryant said he is “absolutely distressed” and “slightly surprised” at not being included in the list.

Mr Bryant told the Commons: “I can only assume that the Russian Federation accepts that every single thing that I have said about President (Vladimir) Putin over the last few years is true. He is a barbarous villain and we must make sure that he fails.”

A translation of the Russian foreign ministry statement said the sanctions are being applied “on the basis of reciprocity”.

It added: “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 demonising 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.”

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss announced the sanctions against the Duma on March 11.