This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-18351326#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa
The article has changed 13 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| UK ministers boycott England games in Ukraine | |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| UK government ministers are boycotting England's three group games in the European football championships over Ukraine's treatment of a jailed opposition leader. | |
| The move is in protest at the "selective justice" being handed out to Yulia Tymoshenko. | The move is in protest at the "selective justice" being handed out to Yulia Tymoshenko. |
| Attendance at later matches, such as the final in the Ukrainian capital, Kiev, is to be kept "under review". | |
| Other EU leaders have threatened to boycott games over the issue. | |
| Ms Tymoshenko played a key role in the Orange Revolution in 2004 and says her imprisonment is an act of political revenge by Ukraine's President Viktor Yanukovych. | |
| The authorities have rejected Ms Tymoshenko's allegations. She was jailed for seven years in October, for abuse of power during her time as prime minister. | |
| Last week, she ended a 20-day hunger strike after being moved to a hospital in Kharkiv where she is being treated by a German doctor. | |
| A Foreign Office spokesperson said: "The government fully supports England's participation in Euro 2012. | |
| "We hope this is a successful tournament for the England team, the fans, and the people of Ukraine and Poland. | |
| "No ministers will be attending group games at Euro 2012. | |
| "We are keeping attendance at later stages of the tournament under review in the light of ministers' busy schedules ahead of the Olympics and widespread concerns about selective justice and the rule of law in Ukraine." |