Pressure for a World Cup boycott grows

CALLS for a co-ordinated World Cup boycott were growing last night as MPs, football dignitaries and foreign nations all demanded action.

MPs said England’s participation in this year’s tournament in Russia should be in question after the Prime Minister said it was ‘highly likely’ Moscow was to blame for Sergei Skripal’s poisoning.

As Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson refused to rule out removing the England team from the tournament, Ukraine last night joined calls for a co-ordinated boycott of the event.

The country’s foreign minister, Pavlo Klimkin, said Vladimir Putin should not be provided with ‘the massive propaganda coup’ of hosting the World Cup.

Mr Klimkin, whose country narrowly missed out on qualifying for the tournament, told the Daily Mail: ‘The West must now respond in a way that will make Russia feel the consequences of their actions.

‘One of the first targets should be next summer’s World Cup. Russia does not deserve to host such a prestigious tournament.’

John Woodcock, chairman of Labour’s backbench foreign affairs committee, told the BBC: ‘It gives me no pleasure to say this, but I’m afraid that the World Cup should now be in question. I think England’s participation ought to be in question, but certainly there should be no question of government officials, dignitaries, of senior members of the FA going over there.’

Former Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron said England should lead a boycott if Fifa failed to take the tournament off Russia.

‘The World Cup this summer cannot go ahead as if nothing has happened,’ he said. ‘I am a football fanatic, I love the World Cup, I am proud that my country has qualified. But we cannot just stand by and let a bully win.’

His successor as Lib Dem leader, Sir Vince Cable, said the EU, which has ten teams at the tournament, should withdraw as a bloc.

‘What Britain should be doing is taking the lead and getting other European countries, particularly nine other EU countries, to do this as a collective,’ he said. ‘This is when it really should really hurt Russia.’ He also suggested England should offer to host the tournament.

Former FA chief executive David Davies suggested a co-ordinated walkout of teams was the best course of action. Asked about a potential boycott, Mr Johnson said people will have to wait until this afternoon when Theresa May is expected to list the sanctions to be slapped on Russia.