Tory MP says UK should target Putin gangster link

Britain could be doing “a lot more” to put pressure on Vladimir Putin’s “gangster” regime to combat overt and covert Russian activities in the West, a senior MP has said. Conservative Tom Tugendhat said the UK should follow the United States’ lead in bringing harsh sanctions against close associates of the Russian president in the wake of the Syria chemical weapons attack and the Salisbury nerve agent incident.

Mr Tugendhat, chairman of the foreign affairs select committee, spoke as he joined the chairmen of the five other committees to merge investigations into Russian activities. The Russia co-ordination group met on Wednesday. Mr Tugendhat said: “I think it is important we target those who support Putin and his effective gangster regime.”