David Cameron seems to think restricting oligarchs' shopping in London's Bond Street will bring the Russians to their senses
The greater the impotence, the louder the rhetoric from Westminster. Since the prime minister informed the Commons last week that Russia had been a very, very naughty boy and Britain would leave nothing off the table in its efforts to bring Vladimir Putin into line, Russia has organised a referendum in Crimea and prevented representatives of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe from entering the area. Deterrence in action.
On Monday, David Cameron returned to the Commons to update MPs on the EU response to the Ukraine situation. The EU, he said, would not turn "a blind eye". Rather it was going to let Russia do pretty much what it wants with both eyes open and if Putin wanted to annex the Isle of Wight into the bargain, then it would give the matter serious consideration. At least that's what he might as well have said.
The PM began by telling everyone he had been at the centre of world events at the weekend. Without him, the Poles and French would not have had an idea there was a crisis in the Ukraine and the entire EU response had been co-ordinated by him and, to a degree, Angela Merkel. He also reminded MPs of his vitally important phone call to Barack Obama. He didn't comment on the disappointing response to his Facebook selfie. Though possibly Putin liked it.
So what was the clear and united message from the EU? "We have agreed a three-phase approach to stand up to this aggression and uphold international law," he said. First phase: do nothing much. Second phase: do a little bit more than nothing much. Third phase: talk more loudly about doing a little bit more than nothing much. Mr Cameron seems certain that restricting oligarchs' shopping in Bond Street will bring the Russians to their senses. Call it Prada diplomacy.
Ed Miliband had almost nothing but praise for Cameron's efforts. Indeed, the entire Labour front bench looked extremely jolly throughout Mr Cameron's statement.
There's nothing like a bit of sunshine and a crisis a long way from home that no one can do anything about to raise the spirits.
Cameron did hint at a solution, though, in answer to a question from Sir Peter Tapsell about the Crimea referendum. Were it to be done legally, he said, "the people of Ukraine and Crimea can express their preferences". So there we have it. Putin delays the referendum until it's done properly, Russia gets to hang on to Crimea and everyone is happy. Apart from a few Ukrainians.
If there is a referendum, one person who will almost certainly be shipped out to be a UK observer is Tory James Brokenshire, the new immigration minister at the Home Office. He might have broken the record for the shortest term in office, having used his maiden speech last week to send both parties' front benches racing to check the visa status and pay off their domestic staff, had it not been more embarrassing to sack him than keep him.
At Home Office questions earlier in the day, he looked like a needy, junior prefect, constantly looking towards head girl Theresa May for approval. She spent most of the hour avoiding his gaze, before rewarding him with a thin, wintery smile near the end for which he looked pathetically grateful. Still, at least he can be certain she dislikes another of her ministers, Liberal Democrat Norman Baker, even more.
Brokenshire used his time at the dispatch box to be Brokenrecord, desperate to stay on message by repeating time and again that Britain only wanted "the brightest and the best" immigrants. Just as well Brokenrecord is British, because he's neither the brightest nor the best. Reported by guardian.co.uk 2 hours ago.
The greater the impotence, the louder the rhetoric from Westminster. Since the prime minister informed the Commons last week that Russia had been a very, very naughty boy and Britain would leave nothing off the table in its efforts to bring Vladimir Putin into line, Russia has organised a referendum in Crimea and prevented representatives of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe from entering the area. Deterrence in action.
On Monday, David Cameron returned to the Commons to update MPs on the EU response to the Ukraine situation. The EU, he said, would not turn "a blind eye". Rather it was going to let Russia do pretty much what it wants with both eyes open and if Putin wanted to annex the Isle of Wight into the bargain, then it would give the matter serious consideration. At least that's what he might as well have said.
The PM began by telling everyone he had been at the centre of world events at the weekend. Without him, the Poles and French would not have had an idea there was a crisis in the Ukraine and the entire EU response had been co-ordinated by him and, to a degree, Angela Merkel. He also reminded MPs of his vitally important phone call to Barack Obama. He didn't comment on the disappointing response to his Facebook selfie. Though possibly Putin liked it.
So what was the clear and united message from the EU? "We have agreed a three-phase approach to stand up to this aggression and uphold international law," he said. First phase: do nothing much. Second phase: do a little bit more than nothing much. Third phase: talk more loudly about doing a little bit more than nothing much. Mr Cameron seems certain that restricting oligarchs' shopping in Bond Street will bring the Russians to their senses. Call it Prada diplomacy.
Ed Miliband had almost nothing but praise for Cameron's efforts. Indeed, the entire Labour front bench looked extremely jolly throughout Mr Cameron's statement.
There's nothing like a bit of sunshine and a crisis a long way from home that no one can do anything about to raise the spirits.
Cameron did hint at a solution, though, in answer to a question from Sir Peter Tapsell about the Crimea referendum. Were it to be done legally, he said, "the people of Ukraine and Crimea can express their preferences". So there we have it. Putin delays the referendum until it's done properly, Russia gets to hang on to Crimea and everyone is happy. Apart from a few Ukrainians.
If there is a referendum, one person who will almost certainly be shipped out to be a UK observer is Tory James Brokenshire, the new immigration minister at the Home Office. He might have broken the record for the shortest term in office, having used his maiden speech last week to send both parties' front benches racing to check the visa status and pay off their domestic staff, had it not been more embarrassing to sack him than keep him.
At Home Office questions earlier in the day, he looked like a needy, junior prefect, constantly looking towards head girl Theresa May for approval. She spent most of the hour avoiding his gaze, before rewarding him with a thin, wintery smile near the end for which he looked pathetically grateful. Still, at least he can be certain she dislikes another of her ministers, Liberal Democrat Norman Baker, even more.
Brokenshire used his time at the dispatch box to be Brokenrecord, desperate to stay on message by repeating time and again that Britain only wanted "the brightest and the best" immigrants. Just as well Brokenrecord is British, because he's neither the brightest nor the best. Reported by guardian.co.uk 2 hours ago.