Scottish MPs on being banned from Russia for 'hostile statements' and 'outright rudeness'

The Russian Federation's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Wednesday that 15 MPs and six members of the House of Lords had been sanctioned over "hostile statements and unfounded accusations".

Scottish MPs sanctioned were Labour's Blair McDougall and Johanna Baxter, the SNP's Stephen Gethins and the Lib Dems' Alistair Carmichael.

Responding to the announcement, the MPs all reiterated their condemnation of Vladimir Putin’s regime.

Scottish Labour’s Mr McDougall said: “Being targeted by this thuggish, criminal regime is a compliment. That amongst the reasons is that I have been rude to Putin shows how brittle and pathetic his regime is. This won’t stop British MPs from speaking up for the people of Ukraine.”

Mr Gethins said: “No one should be under any illusion about Vladimir Putin’s administration. It is one that has caused death and destruction to its own citizens and to that of its neighbours.

“This is not a regime that believes in the dignity of human life, human rights for its own citizens or respects its neighbours. I will take it as a source of comfort that such a despicable regime has sought to sanction me.”

For Ms Baxter, it comes on the same day she launched a Return The Children Now campaign with the UK Friends of Ukraine, focusing on Russia's crimes of abducting Ukrainian children.

Mr Carmichael said: “News that I have been banned from visiting Russia came as a shock – largely because I had thought I was banned many years ago. When people in the Northern Isles were rallying together to block Russian tankers from our ports in 2022, I was pretty sure already I was not going to Moscow any time soon.

“I can only assume that this ban has happened now because of a joke I made at Nigel Farage’s expense in the House of Commons last month, mocking his craven stance on Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.

“Putin’s friendship and welcome are hardly an endorsement worth having, so I will take this travel ban as a point of pride.”