A couple of weeks ago, as the Ukraine crisis intensified, we argued that Conservative MPs should not sit in the same group as representatives of Vladimir Putin’s party in the Council of Europe. As Paul wrote at the time, “Conservatives shouldn’t sit side by side with autocrats.”
A day later, Tory MPs followed the advice.
Now it’s time for the other British parties to follow suit.
For example, Labour sit with the leftist “Fair Russia” party in the Socialist Group on the Council of Europe. While Fair Russia are separate to Putin’s United Russia party, they are useful stooges of the government on various topics – currently, they are the proposers of a bill winging its way through the Duma which will facilitate Crimea being absorbed into Russia.
It’s right that Conservative MPs no longer sit with representatives of the Putin autocracy – Labour MPs should now follow suit and refuse to sit with the people helping Putin to seize part of the Ukraine.