A Tory MP sparked fury today after he called for all Russians living in the UK to be expelled.
North Thanet MP Sir Roger Gale was hit with a barrage of criticism online after he told a radio show that everyone with a Russian passport should be expelled.
The veteran MP even suggested one of his own constituents - who he described as “reputable” - should be expelled in order to send a message to Putin.
Sir Roger told talkRADIO: “The prime minister said last week that we shouldn’t visit the sins of parents upon their children.
“Well, I’m sorry, my view is that we should send a very clear message and rescind all the visas for Russian citizens currently extant in the United Kingdom and send everybody home.”
However, environment minister and Tory peer Zac Goldsmith hit back, saying: “There are 70,000 Russians in the UK.
“Our quarrel is not with them or with Russian people - it is with Putin and his cronies.
“Too many influential people are choosing to conflate the two. It is both unfair and dangerous, and it must stop.”
Some Twitter users said there was “no justification” for attacking all Russians for the actions of Putin, with one adding: “Ordinary Russians living in the UK are not complicit in the invasion of Ukraine and so do not need to be punished for it.”
Others described his comments as “dangerous”, “hysterical” and “incredibly stupid”.
Conservative Hillingdon councillor Duncan Flynn added: “No. Totally wrong to tar an entire nation of people with the actions of their leader, however depraved.”
Sir Roger was pressed on the radio show over whether he meant “every Russian” should be expelled and replied: “Well, there’s going to be some collateral damage because there are good, honest and decent Russians of course here working in all sorts of spheres.
“I’ve got a constituent who’s working in IT here and I have no reason to suppose that he’s anything other than reputable.”
Asked why his constituent should be sent back to Russia, he replied: “Because we can’t pick and choose. Because what we’ve got to do, I’m afraid, is send a very harsh message through the Russian people to Putin.
“The only way this message is going to get through is when and it may seem facile to say ‘well we’re not going to play football there and we’re not going to take part in the Eurovision Song Contest’ but for the ordinary Russian these things do actually matter…”
Pressed on whether he thought every person with a Russian passport should be expelled from the UK: “I think pretty much yes. I’m afraid so.”