Labour MP Phil Brickell, who has represented Bolton West since his election to Parliament in July 2024, is one of 21 MPs and members of the House of Lords banned from entering Russia, according to the list published by Russia’s foreign ministry earlier this month.
‘Hostile statements and unfounded accusations’
The 21 politicians targeted by the Putin regime, including 15 members of Parliament, are drawn from across the political spectrum, with representatives from the Labour Party, the Liberal Democrats, the Scottish National Party, and Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party all banned from entering Russia. According to the Russian foreign ministry, those named were selected due to their “hostile statements and unfounded accusations” against Moscow.
Brickell has been a vocal critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine. In February, he travelled to Ukraine, stating he planned to spend “a few days living the daily reality for Ukrainians”.
Speaking during his visit, Brickell said:
The UK must do everything to ensure that Ukraine is able to stay in the fight against Putin.
Writing on Bluesky after his return he added:
“From meetings with Ukrainian politicians, soldiers, businesses, and civil society groups, it is clear that their resolve remains unbroken. It must be Putin and his cronies who pay for the damage and destruction they have caused.”
Britain accused of Russophobia
In a statement accompanying publication of the list, the Russian foreign ministry said:
“In response to London’s ongoing confrontational course, which includes efforts to demonise our country, actively fabricating anti-Russian narratives in order to reduce Moscow’s influence on the international stage, a decision has been made to include a number of members of the UK Parliament in the Russian ‘stop list’.”
The statement continued:
“Russophobia and the desire to destroy Russian statehood remain integral elements of British foreign policy, which is now completely subordinated to the task of inflicting as much damage as possible on our national interests.”
Support for Ukraine continues
As Britain and other European nations continue to support Ukraine – attempting to fill the gap left by the Trump administration’s withdrawal of U.S. support – Moscow shows little sign of de-escalating its diplomatic confrontation with the West. As part of its’ announcement of the ‘stop list’, the Russian foreign ministry warned, “We are closely monitoring such (anti-Russian) rhetoric and drawing the necessary conclusions,” adding that work to expand the stop list would continue.
Following the announcement, Mr. Brickell appeared unfazed. He said:
I’ve been to Ukraine – I’ve seen the death and destruction Putin has wrought there over the last three years. So, if he thinks that sanctioning myself and colleagues will get us to shut up, he has another thing coming. Putin and his cronies must pay for the crimes they have committed.
The full list
Below is a list of British nationals [published by the Russian Foreign Ministry] who are ‘banned from entering the Russian Federation’.
- David Patrick Paul Alton, Member of the House of Lords;
- Charles Edward Raymond Banner, Member of the House of Lords;
- Kevan David Jones, Member of the House of Lords;
- Ross John Kempsell, Member of the House of Lords;
- Jeremy Purvis, Member of the House of Lords;
- Julie Elizabeth Smith, Member of the House of Lords;
- Johanna Baxter, Member of the House of Commons, Labour Party;
- Philip Michael Brickell, Member of the House of Commons, Labour Party;
- Stephen Patrick Gethins, Member of the House of Commons, Scottish National Party;
- Alexander Morrison Carmichael, Member of the House of Commons, Liberal Democrat Party;
- Christopher Austin Francis Coghlan, Liberal Democrat MP
- Helen Elaine Maguire, Liberal Democrat MP
- Blair McDougall, Labour MP
- James Neville MacCleary, Liberal Democrat MP
- Michael Peter Martin, Liberal Democrat MP
- Manuella Perteghella, Liberal Democrat MP
- Juan Timothy Charles Roca, MP, Labour Party;
- Jeevun Gurpreet Singh Sander, MP, Labour Party;
- Aaron Cameron Thomas, MP, Liberal Democrat;
- William Paul Forster, MP, Liberal Democrat;
- Richard James Shannon, MP, Democratic Unionist Party.
After a local democracy BBC press release by Chris Gee
