The SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford said “under the Tories a sewer of dirty Russian money has been allowed to run through London for years”. Mr Blackford said the SNP stands united against the Russian invasion of Ukraine and there needs to be “tougher and stronger sanctions”.
He said: “I went to the Prime Minister, the then foreign secretary in 2017, and I raised the issue of limited partnerships, 113 of which have been used to move 20.8 billion dollars out of Russian banks.
“Corruption on an industrial scale.
“Why did the Prime Minister do nothing back then and why is he still doing nothing now?”
The Prime Minister said he was grateful for the question being raised and Mr Blackford was “right” to raise the issue back then and “right on the issue”, adding: “We do need to stop corrupt Russian money in London and every other financial capital.
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“That’s why we have already taken the steps that we have taken but we are going much further to uncloak the true owners of Russia companies and Russian properties in this country. And high time.
“No country is doing more than the UK to tackle this issue.”
Mr Johnson continued: “I think his indignation is a bit coming from his own Alex Salmond as a leading presenter on Russia Today which the leader of the Opposition has just called on this country to ban.”
Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said TV channel RT should be barred from broadcasting in the UK.
The channel, which has links to the Kremlin, currently broadcasts a show by former first minister and SNP leader Alex Salmond – now head of the Alba Party.
“It’s a matter for Ofcom, but I do think there is now a very serious question about whether RT should continue to have a licence to broadcast here in Scotland and I would certainly encourage Ofcom to look at that very, very seriously and closely indeed,” she said.
When asked about Mr Salmond’s show being broadcast on the network, the First Minister said: “I’m appalled at Alex Salmond’s continued involvement with RT, I don’t think it’s any secret now that I don’t think he should ever have had a television show on RT, but it is even more unthinkable now that that should continue.”
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Ms Sturgeon went on to say that elected officials should not appear on the broadcaster.
“I don’t think any elected representative should be contemplating appearing on RT right now, I will give that message – have given that message – to elected officials here at the Scottish Parliament, I know Ian Blackford has done so in Westminster.”
While Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has suggested Alex Salmond should “reflect on his celebrity status” connected to a show broadcast on a Russian state-backed TV channel.
Former first minister of Scotland Mr Salmond has presented a show on the RT channel through an independent production company, and has consistently asserted there is no editorial interference.
