Raab hints at refuge for backers of detained Kremlin critic Navalny
Britain is open to the prospect of granting refuge to supporters of the detained Kremlin critic and opposition leader Alexei Navalny, the Foreign Secretary has suggested.
Dominic Raab told MPS he has held "detailed discussions" with Home Secretary Priti Patel about the UK'S response when asked about support for Mr Navalny and human rights defenders in Russia.
Labour also criticised the lack of UK Government action against Moscow, claiming none of the 21 recommendations of Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee's report into Russian interference have been implemented.
The report, published in summer 2020 although initially completed before the 2019 general election, found the UK was "clearly a target for Russia's disinformation campaigns and political influence operations" and said an independent inquiry was necessary to protect British democracy.
Shadow foreign secretary Lisa Nandy said Russia will not take seriously British warnings over the detention of Mr Navalny until action is implemented to disrupt "dirty money" networks, including those in London.
Mr Navalny was detained at a Moscow airport on Sunday after spending five months in Germany recovering from nerve agent poisoning that he blames on Moscow. His detention has been condemned by governments around the world.
Speaking in the House of Commons, Liberal Democrat MP Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) said: "I wonder if I could ask what discussions the Foreign Secretary has had with the Home Office about granting refuge to the supporters of Alexei Navalny and indeed any human rights defenders in Russia, should they want it or need it?"
Mr Raab replied: "I've had detailed discussions with the Home Secretary about the response to this and other examples of hostile state action. Of course we have one of the most open and generous asylum systems in the world and we continually focus the support we provide for civil society groups, including media organisations both in Russia and Belarus."
Earlier, Ms Nandy warned: "The Foreign Secretary had strong words about the arrest of Alexei Navalny but he knows those words won't be taken seriously by Moscow until the UK takes action to disrupt the networks of dirty money on which this regime depends.
"How many of the Russia report recommendations have now been implemented?"
Mr Raab said he is "absolutely appalled" by the "politically-motivated" detention of Mr Navalny, adding: "It's a Kafkaesque situation, frankly, when, instead of dealing with and supporting the victim of this Novichok poisoning, he has been arrested.
"She (Ms Nandy) will know we've taken action, including imposing sanctions on six individuals and the State Research Institute of Organic Chemistry and Technology and we're leading efforts in the OPCW (Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons).