The UK government has come under fire over its decision to relax sanctions on Russian oil, with critics claiming that British petrol pumps will now see more Russian crude. The move reverses four and a half years of policy coordinated with international allies to pressure Moscow over its war in Ukraine.
Shadow business secretary Andrew Griffith said: "The British people don’t want to fly on planes fuelled by ‘blood oil’ that funds Putin’s killing of Ukrainians." Dame Emily Thornberry, chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, added: "Just because other countries are behaving in the wrong way does not mean that we should join them ... We are Britain, and we are one of Ukraine’s strongest allies; we have led the fight against Russia on this ... and we’re proud of it."
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer defended the government's approach, insisting in the House of Commons that the new sanctions go "beyond" existing measures and accusing the opposition of playing "party politics" on Ukraine. The government has also announced plans for tougher sanctions, Ukrainian drone production, and measures to intercept Russia's "shadow fleet" of oil tankers.
The decision comes amid a cost-of-living crisis and following electoral losses on 7 May. The government has extended a 5p cut in fuel duty, a move widely expected to ease household and business budgets. However, analysts note that the Treasury cannot subsidise fuel costs significantly, and no government can fully insulate people from energy shocks.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has called for more drilling in the North Sea, but experts say this would not noticeably cut global oil prices. The controversy underscores the difficulty of balancing energy costs with support for Ukraine.
