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| UK politics live: minister says Russian invasion of Ukraine likely to become more violent, with ‘horrific’ casualties possible | UK politics live: minister says Russian invasion of Ukraine likely to become more violent, with ‘horrific’ casualties possible |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Ben Wallace, defence minister, says there could be ‘indiscriminate bombing of cities and propelling forward of soldiers’ | Ben Wallace, defence minister, says there could be ‘indiscriminate bombing of cities and propelling forward of soldiers’ |
| And here are some more line from Ben Wallace’s interviews this morning. | And here are some more line from Ben Wallace’s interviews this morning. |
| Wallace, the defence secretary, said Russian invasion of Ukraine was likely to become more violent, with “horrific” casualty levels possible. He said: | Wallace, the defence secretary, said Russian invasion of Ukraine was likely to become more violent, with “horrific” casualty levels possible. He said: |
| Wallace described Putin’s decision to put his nuclear deterrent on high alert as “rhetoric”. It did not fundamentally change the threat, he implied. He said: | Wallace described Putin’s decision to put his nuclear deterrent on high alert as “rhetoric”. It did not fundamentally change the threat, he implied. He said: |
| Wallace also said that, after Putin’s announcement, his 12-year-old son had asked if it meant there would be nuclear war. Asked how he replied, Wallace told LBC: | Wallace also said that, after Putin’s announcement, his 12-year-old son had asked if it meant there would be nuclear war. Asked how he replied, Wallace told LBC: |
| The Kremlin has claimed that President Putin’s decision to put Russia’s nuclear forces on high alert was taken in response to comments from Liz Truss, the foreign secretary. The Kremlin spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, told a press briefing: | |
| Putin’s decision came yesterday morning. Perhaps he had been reading Truss’s interview in the Sunday Times (paywall) in which she warned of the possibility of a confrontation between Russia and Nato (but using language that did not go beyond what ministers have said many times in the past). She said: | |
| MSPs and Scottish government ministers have called for the Russian consul general in Edinburgh, Andrey Yakovlev, to be expelled from the UK. Paul Sweeney, a Scottish Labour MSP, has tabled a motion at Holyrood calling for expulsion. “It is increasingly clear that every one of us must do everything we can to send a message to Russia that their actions have consequences,” Sweeney said. | MSPs and Scottish government ministers have called for the Russian consul general in Edinburgh, Andrey Yakovlev, to be expelled from the UK. Paul Sweeney, a Scottish Labour MSP, has tabled a motion at Holyrood calling for expulsion. “It is increasingly clear that every one of us must do everything we can to send a message to Russia that their actions have consequences,” Sweeney said. |
| The UK government has so far resisted calls for the Russian ambassador in London to be expelled, on the grounds that it is helpful for London to be able to communicate directly with someone influential with the ear of the Kremlin. | The UK government has so far resisted calls for the Russian ambassador in London to be expelled, on the grounds that it is helpful for London to be able to communicate directly with someone influential with the ear of the Kremlin. |
| The Scottish government is donating £4m in financial aid to the relief agencies working in Ukraine and additional medical supplies including anaesthetic machines, syringe pumps and bandages. | The Scottish government is donating £4m in financial aid to the relief agencies working in Ukraine and additional medical supplies including anaesthetic machines, syringe pumps and bandages. |
| Officials in the devolved government are talking to aid agencies about the quickest route to deliver the money, which could increase later. The medical supplies, including medicines, were chosen from a list of emergency materials supplied by the Ukrainian consulate in Edinburgh, in coordination with other UK governments. | Officials in the devolved government are talking to aid agencies about the quickest route to deliver the money, which could increase later. The medical supplies, including medicines, were chosen from a list of emergency materials supplied by the Ukrainian consulate in Edinburgh, in coordination with other UK governments. |
| Nicola Sturgeon, the first minister, said: | Nicola Sturgeon, the first minister, said: |
| Scottish officials are considering supporting a fund-raising appeal organised by the United Nations. António Guterres, the UN secretary general, said it would launch an appeal on Tuesday to fund its humanitarian operations in Ukraine. The UN expects it will need more than $1bn (£890m) over the next three months, the government said. | |
| Yesterday the UK government announced it was contributing £40m in humanitarian aid to Ukraine, to pay for medical equipment and other basic necessities. | Yesterday the UK government announced it was contributing £40m in humanitarian aid to Ukraine, to pay for medical equipment and other basic necessities. |
| In a thread on Twitter, Rob Ford, the politics professor and co-author of Brexitland, a book explaining the attitudinal shifts (including on immigration) that led to Brexit, says that the public may be much more supportive of opening the borders to Ukrainian refugees than people (like Priti Patel?) assume. It starts here. | In a thread on Twitter, Rob Ford, the politics professor and co-author of Brexitland, a book explaining the attitudinal shifts (including on immigration) that led to Brexit, says that the public may be much more supportive of opening the borders to Ukrainian refugees than people (like Priti Patel?) assume. It starts here. |
| And here is one of Ford’s conclusions. | And here is one of Ford’s conclusions. |
| The Mirror’s Pippa Crerar says Priti Patel, the home secretary, may announce in the Commons later that the Home Office will apply a wider definition of close relative when operating the scheme allowing Ukrainians related to British nationals to seek sanctuary in the UK. | The Mirror’s Pippa Crerar says Priti Patel, the home secretary, may announce in the Commons later that the Home Office will apply a wider definition of close relative when operating the scheme allowing Ukrainians related to British nationals to seek sanctuary in the UK. |
| Under the proposals published last night, only spouses, unmarried partners of at least two years, parents or their children if one is under 18, or adult relatives who are also carers were included. | Under the proposals published last night, only spouses, unmarried partners of at least two years, parents or their children if one is under 18, or adult relatives who are also carers were included. |
| Labour is calling for a wholesale ban on Russia taking part in international sporting and cultural events. Lucy Powell, the shadow culture secretary, said: | Labour is calling for a wholesale ban on Russia taking part in international sporting and cultural events. Lucy Powell, the shadow culture secretary, said: |
| Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is trying to broker a peaceful end to the war in Ukraine, PA Media reports. PA says: | Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is trying to broker a peaceful end to the war in Ukraine, PA Media reports. PA says: |
| Tom Tugendhat, a former soldier and the Conservative chair of the Commons foreign affairs committee, also told the Today programme this morning that President Putin’s decision to put his nuclear forces on high alert did not fundamentally alter the threat. He explained: | Tom Tugendhat, a former soldier and the Conservative chair of the Commons foreign affairs committee, also told the Today programme this morning that President Putin’s decision to put his nuclear forces on high alert did not fundamentally alter the threat. He explained: |
| Tugendhat said the situation was “concerning”. But h went on: | Tugendhat said the situation was “concerning”. But h went on: |
| According to ConservativeHome, which conducts regular surveys of readers who are Tory members, which are seen as reliable guides to party opinion, Conservative members who think the partygate scandal is not important to voters now outnumber those who do think it is important by almost two to one. In December a majority of members thought it was important. | According to ConservativeHome, which conducts regular surveys of readers who are Tory members, which are seen as reliable guides to party opinion, Conservative members who think the partygate scandal is not important to voters now outnumber those who do think it is important by almost two to one. In December a majority of members thought it was important. |
| Paul Goodman, the ConservativeHome editor, says there is now no prospect of Boris Johnson facing a leadership challenge while the Ukraine crisis continues. | Paul Goodman, the ConservativeHome editor, says there is now no prospect of Boris Johnson facing a leadership challenge while the Ukraine crisis continues. |
| And here are some more line from Ben Wallace’s interviews this morning. | And here are some more line from Ben Wallace’s interviews this morning. |
| Wallace, the defence secretary, said Russian invasion of Ukraine was likely to become more violent, with “horrific” casualty levels possible. He said: | Wallace, the defence secretary, said Russian invasion of Ukraine was likely to become more violent, with “horrific” casualty levels possible. He said: |
| Wallace described Putin’s decision to put his nuclear deterrent on high alert as “rhetoric”. It did not fundamentally change the threat, he implied. He said: | Wallace described Putin’s decision to put his nuclear deterrent on high alert as “rhetoric”. It did not fundamentally change the threat, he implied. He said: |
| Wallace also said that, after Putin’s announcement, his 12-year-old son had asked if it meant there would be nuclear war. Asked how he replied, Wallace told LBC: | Wallace also said that, after Putin’s announcement, his 12-year-old son had asked if it meant there would be nuclear war. Asked how he replied, Wallace told LBC: |
| Tom Tugendhat, the Conservative chair of the Commons foreign affairs committee, told the Today programme this morning that he thought the government would end up following the EU policy and allowing Ukrainians fleeing the war to stay for up to three years. Asked if he thought the announcement from the PM last night went far enough, he said it didn’t. He told the programme: | Tom Tugendhat, the Conservative chair of the Commons foreign affairs committee, told the Today programme this morning that he thought the government would end up following the EU policy and allowing Ukrainians fleeing the war to stay for up to three years. Asked if he thought the announcement from the PM last night went far enough, he said it didn’t. He told the programme: |
| Asked about the EU’s announcement that member countries would grant asylum to Ukrainian refugees for up to three years, he replied: | Asked about the EU’s announcement that member countries would grant asylum to Ukrainian refugees for up to three years, he replied: |
| Good morning. Ben Wallace, the defence secretary, was batting for the government on TV and radio this morning and he had the awkward job of tidying up policy difficulties left by his colleagues over the weekend. | Good morning. Ben Wallace, the defence secretary, was batting for the government on TV and radio this morning and he had the awkward job of tidying up policy difficulties left by his colleagues over the weekend. |
| First, UK immigration policy for Ukrainians fleeing the war and seeking refuge in this country. Downing Street announced a new approach last night, but when the Home Office published the small print a bit later, it turned out to be very minimal. Labour called the announcement “shameful”. This morning Wallace implied that this was just a first step, and that more would be done. He told Sky News: | First, UK immigration policy for Ukrainians fleeing the war and seeking refuge in this country. Downing Street announced a new approach last night, but when the Home Office published the small print a bit later, it turned out to be very minimal. Labour called the announcement “shameful”. This morning Wallace implied that this was just a first step, and that more would be done. He told Sky News: |
| In the light of the reaction to last night’s announcement, and developments in the EU, the government may well end up doing more. But that is not what the Home Office was telling journalists to expect last night. | In the light of the reaction to last night’s announcement, and developments in the EU, the government may well end up doing more. But that is not what the Home Office was telling journalists to expect last night. |
| Second, government policy on Britons wanting to travel to Ukraine to join the fight against the Russians. Yesterday Liz Truss, the foreign secretary, was criticised for saying she would support people wanting to do this. This morning Wallace did not exactly disown her, but he claimed that she was not advising people without military training to volunteer (Truss did not make that distinction in her interviews) and he said her main point was that the war was a “just cause”. He also said there were better ways to help Ukraine. He said: | Second, government policy on Britons wanting to travel to Ukraine to join the fight against the Russians. Yesterday Liz Truss, the foreign secretary, was criticised for saying she would support people wanting to do this. This morning Wallace did not exactly disown her, but he claimed that she was not advising people without military training to volunteer (Truss did not make that distinction in her interviews) and he said her main point was that the war was a “just cause”. He also said there were better ways to help Ukraine. He said: |
| I will post more from Wallace’s interviews shortly. | I will post more from Wallace’s interviews shortly. |
| Mostly today I will be focusing on UK reaction to the war in Ukraine, but I will also be covering some non-Ukraine politics too. Here is the agenda for the day. | Mostly today I will be focusing on UK reaction to the war in Ukraine, but I will also be covering some non-Ukraine politics too. Here is the agenda for the day. |
| 11.30am: Downing Street holds a lobby briefing. | 11.30am: Downing Street holds a lobby briefing. |
| 2.30pm: Priti Patel, the home secretary, takes questions in the Commons. | 2.30pm: Priti Patel, the home secretary, takes questions in the Commons. |
| After 3.30pm: MPs debate the Lords amendments to the police, crime, sentencing and courts bill. | After 3.30pm: MPs debate the Lords amendments to the police, crime, sentencing and courts bill. |
| 4pm: Neil O’Brien, the levelling up minister, and Andy Haldane, the former Bank of England economist who is head of the levelling up taskforce, give evidence to the Commons levelling up committee about the levelling up white paper. | 4pm: Neil O’Brien, the levelling up minister, and Andy Haldane, the former Bank of England economist who is head of the levelling up taskforce, give evidence to the Commons levelling up committee about the levelling up white paper. |
| For full coverage of the war in Ukraine, and a global perspective, do read our separate live blog. It’s here. | For full coverage of the war in Ukraine, and a global perspective, do read our separate live blog. It’s here. |
| I try to monitor the comments below the line (BTL) but it is impossible to read them all. If you have a direct question, do include “Andrew” in it somewhere and I’m more likely to find it. I do try to answer questions, and if they are of general interest, I will post the question and reply above the line (ATL), although I can’t promise to do this for everyone. | I try to monitor the comments below the line (BTL) but it is impossible to read them all. If you have a direct question, do include “Andrew” in it somewhere and I’m more likely to find it. I do try to answer questions, and if they are of general interest, I will post the question and reply above the line (ATL), although I can’t promise to do this for everyone. |
| If you want to attract my attention quickly, it is probably better to use Twitter. I’m on @AndrewSparrow. | If you want to attract my attention quickly, it is probably better to use Twitter. I’m on @AndrewSparrow. |
| Alternatively, you can email me at andrew.sparrow@theguardian.com. | Alternatively, you can email me at andrew.sparrow@theguardian.com. |