Boris Johnson today corrected his false claim that Roman Abramovich was facing sanctions as part of a crackdown on Russian oligarchs.
The Prime Minister had claimed yesterday that the Chelsea FC owner was “already facing sanctions" - a claim disputed by Labour MP Chris Bryant among others.
It was one of a string of times Mr Johnson has made false statements to Parliament, with others including claims about employment figures and Britain’s Covid recovery.
But in a rare move, Downing Street admitted the PM “mis-spoke” in this instance and he has now formally corrected the record.
Mr Johnson said in a written ministerial statement to Parliament: “Roman Abramovich has not been the subject of targeted measures.
“More generally, anyone who comes to this country on an Israeli passport is a non-visa national. Israelis are required to obtain a visa if they want to live, work or study in the UK.”
Mr Abramovich had issues around his entrepreneurial visa in 2018.
In October 2021, the businessman's spokesperson confirmed he travelled to London as an Israeli citizen - therefore entering the United Kingdom without the need for a visa.
Boris Johnson ’s spokesman said he was “not aware” of any contact between Roman Abramovich - or his lawyers - and No10 ahead of the correction.
Asked why the PM was correcting the record now, and not after several other times he was accused of misleading Parliament, the spokesman said: “He corrects the record when appropriate”.
Mr Johnson previously claimed there are “more people in work than before the pandemic began” - which had been branded incorrect by the Office for Statistics Regulation just a day earlier in a letter to No10.
Director Ed Humpherson said the PM was referring to people on payrolls, but this excludes many self-employed.
He also claimed “in spite of all the difficulties we’ve faced, we have now got the fastest growth in the G7. Absolutely true”.
Technically yes, the UK’s GDP is forecast to grow by 4.7% in 2022 - the highest of any G7 country.
But that is not the full picture - it also fell by 9.4% in 2020 according to the IMF, the worst of any G7 country. That means it’s now bouncing back faster too.
According to the House of Commons Library, UK GDP was still down by 1.5% in July-September 2021 compared to pre-pandemic levels.
This was the second-worst of any G7 country, behind Canada, Italy, Germany, the Eurozone, France and the US.
Mr Johnson also refused to withdraw a claim about donations to the Labour Party, despite his Press Secretary having to clarify it.
Mr Johnson had said at PMQs : “The largest single corporate donation to the Labour Party came from a member of the Chinese Communist Party.”
It came after MI5 issued a rare "interference alert" about Christine Lee - who was also personally handed an award by ex-PM Theresa May.
Christine Lee and her law firm donated almost £373,000 worth of staff costs plus almost £55,000 in cash to Labour MP Barry Gardiner since 2015, according to Electoral Commission figures.
The firm, Christine Lee and Co Solicitors, donated a further £22,500 to Mr Gardiner's local Labour Party between 2009 and 2015.
Asked if the PM was certain, the Press Secretary said: “Yes, Christine Lee and Company is Labour’s largest corporate donor, they’ve donated more than any other company since November 2016.”
Told Mr Johnson did not say “since 2016” in his remarks, she replied: “I am happy to add the addition.”
Asked if, on that basis, Mr Johnson thought Theresa May was the UK’s longest-serving Prime Minister, the Press Secretary replied: “Anyone else?”
Told the donations were to the MP Barry Gardiner, not the central Labour party, she replied: “It is to the Labour Party - he is a Labour MP.”
