, Leader of the Labour Party,
said:
"Thank you, Mr Speaker.
And thank you to the Prime Minister for advance sight of his
statement.
And I am grateful to the Defence Secretary for keeping the
Opposition informed of developments throughout the crisis.
When the Soviet Union collapsed, Britain, Russia and the United
States made a solemn agreement with Ukraine.
In exchange for giving up nuclear weapons, Ukraine’s security was
to be guaranteed. And its independence would be respected.
Ukraine has kept its end of the deal. President Putin has not.
His Russia has annexed Crimea, supported separatist conflict in
Donbas, and now massed over 100,000 troops on Ukraine’s borders.
These are repeated and unjustifiable acts of aggression.
So, Labour stands resolute in our support of Ukraine’s
sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity.
That was made clear when our Shadow Foreign Secretary and Shadow
Defence Secretary visited Kiev a fortnight ago.
And I made it clear to the Ukrainian Ambassador when I met him
last week - this isn’t just a local dispute on the other side of
the continent.
It is an attempt by President Putin to turn back the clock.
To re-establish Russian force as a means of dominance over parts
of Eastern Europe. And it is a direct threat to the
anti-imperialist principle:
That sovereign nations are free to choose their own allies and
and their own way of life.
That is why it is crucial that we in this House are united in
opposing Russian aggression.
So let me be clear. The Labour Party supports the steps that the
Government has taken to bolster Ukraine's ability to defend
herself.
We support international efforts to deter Russia from further
aggression, and the vital diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the
situation.
Can the Prime Minister assure the House that during talks, the UK
and our partners will be resolute in our defence of Ukraine’s
sovereignty, and the security of our NATO allies?
For too long the implicit message to Moscow has been that
President Putin can do what he likes and the West will do little
to respond.
We must now change course, and show Russia that any further
aggression will result in severe real-world consequences.
For Britain and our allies this will mean taking tough decisions,
which won’t always be easy.
Widespread and hard-hitting sanctions must include cutting
Russian access to the international financial system.
Europe’s over-reliance on Russian energy supplies is well
documented and it simply must be addressed.
And in Britain we have failed to rid our economic and political
systems of the ill-gotten money used to support the Putin regime.
If we take our obligations to global security seriously, we
cannot go on allowing ourselves to be the world’s laundromat for
illicit finance.
Labour has a 4-point plan.
Firstly. Reform Companies House to crack down on
shell companies.
Secondly. A register of overseas entities to
lift the veil on who owns property and assets in the UK.
Thirdly. Tougher regulation on political
donations.
And finally, implement the recommendations of
the cross-party Russia report to bolster national security.
Will the Prime Minister support these measures to rid UK of the
loot of the corrupt Russian elite?
We cannot stand up to Russian aggression abroad whilst
facilitating Russian corruption at home.
After the chemical attacks in Salisbury. After the annexation of
Crimea. And now the threat of invasion of Ukraine.
It is time to send a simple, clear and united message:
We support Ukraine’s sovereign right to choose her own destiny.
We will stand with the Ukrainian people in the face of President
Putin's threats.
His aggression will come at a high price for himself and for his
regime."
