Russia launches attack on Labour MP Denis MacShane

The Daily Telegraph

Russia has launched a highly unusual personal attack on Labour MP Denis MacShane, accusing him of deliberately trying to sabotage UK-Russia relations.

The Kremlin lashed out after the former Foreign Office minister organised a debate in the House of Commons on human rights in Russia during which he suggested that Vladimir Putin, the prime minister, should not be made welcome at the London Olympics this summer.

His stance angered the Russian embassy which issued a furious statement.

“The irresponsible attempts of certain parliamentarians to damage our bilateral relationship by taking advantage of real problems cannot but give grounds for serious concern,” the embassy said.

“The rude attacks of the Labour Party MP Denis MacShane in particular testify to this. The provocative behaviour of this parliamentarian and his public statements can only be attributed to poorly disguised lobbying of known interests and personal motives.”

Mr MacShane, a foreign policy veteran, said he was taken aback by the strength of the personal attack on him, and refuted the Kremlin claims, insisting his concerns about Russia were motivated only by a desire for Moscow to embrace “European values.” “In my 18 years as an MP no foreign embassy has used this kind of language against an MP as far as I can recall,” he told The Telegraph.

“Normally if they disapprove of something they approach the host government or write a private letter. But this is an extraordinary diplomatic initiative and shows how rattled the Russians are.” Mr MacShane said he would be consulting fellow MPs about the hostile demarche.

“It looks like an attempt to intimidate me. Presumably this was done on the orders of Moscow.”

Mr MacShane and other MPs discussed a wide range of Russian human rights issues last Wednesday, most notably the case of Sergei Magnitsky, a Russian lawyer who died a horrible death in jail in 2009 after medical care was withheld. Mr Magnitsky had uncovered an enormous tax fraud that he said was perpetrated by a corrupt gang of policemen and other state officials.

The United States has banned the entry of dozens of Russian officials involved in the case and friends of the late lawyer are pushing for the UK government to follow suit. The Russian government has insisted it is still investigating the Magnitsky case however and has condemned foreign criticism of the matter as meddling in its internal affairs.

Akhmed Bilalov, the vice president of the Russian Olympic Committee, said he expected Mr Putin to attend the London Olympics regardless of what Mr MacShane wanted.

“I am expecting Mr Putin to be in London,” he said. “That is if British MPs do not object. Sport and politics should not mix.” payday loan займы без отказа www.zp-pdl.com https://zp-pdl.com hairy women