Vladimir Putin has banned 15 cabinet ministers from entering Russia over the UK’s ongoing support for Ukraine.
Angela Rayner, Yvette Cooper and Rachel Reeves are among those unable to enter the country from now on, the Russian foreign ministry announced.
However, prime minister Keir Starmer is not included.
In a lengthy statement, the Kremlin hit out at the “incessant aggressive anti-Russian rhetoric of the British authorities”.
The foreign ministry also condemned “the illegitimate unilateral restrictions systematically introduced by London against our country, as well as the thoughtless policy of the leadership of this country to support the neo-Nazi Kyiv regime, pursuing purely selfish geopolitical interests and leading to a senseless prolongation of the Ukrainian conflict”.
They added: “Russophobic policies, which combine attempts to discredit Russia’s actions and isolate it in the international arena, the dissemination of disinformation about our country, including in the context of a special military operation, coupled with military support for the Ukrainian armed forces, bordering on the direct involvement of Great Britain in the conflict with all the accompanying escalation risks, indicate London’s attitude towards further systemic confrontation with respect to Russia.
“Moscow once again emphasises the futility of such a course and calls on London to abandon it in favour of mutually respectful and constructive interaction for the sake of security and stability in the world.
“As a response to the hostile actions of the British side, a decision was made to include a number of representatives of the political establishment, the military bloc, high-tech enterprises, and the British journalistic corps who have demonstrated themselves in the anti-Russian field on the Russian ‘stop list’.”
The other cabinet members who have been banned are Shabana Mahmood, Pat McFadden, Ed Milliband, Wes Streeting, Steve Reed, Johnathan Reynolds, Liz Kendall, Jo Stevens, Bridget Phillipson, Hillary Benn, Lucy Powell and Angela Smith.
Junior defence minister Maria Eagle is also banned, as are Labour MPs Derek Twigg and Gurinder Josan, plus Tory MP Andrew Snowden.
Journalists Tom Ball and Dan Woodland are also banned, as is RAF commanding officer Keith Bissett, Ministry of Defence adviser Ben Judah and a number of businessmen and women.
Downing Street has been contacted for comment.
