Nick Clegg banned from entering Russia
Former Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has been banned from Russia, a leaked document confirms.
Mr Clegg was named on the no-entry list, which was written by the Russian foreign ministry, and was given to an EU delegation in Moscow.
As well as the former Lib Dem leader, who stepped down after the General Election on 7 May, 88 other European politicians and military leaders were also named.
In February 2014, Mr Clegg announced that Lib Dem MPs would boycott attending the Sochi Winter Olympics, over Russia’s anti-gay law signed by President Vladimir Putin the year before.
The law federally bans the “promotion of non-traditional sexual relationships” to minors.
Princess Anne and Maria Miller, then Culture Secretary and Minister for Women and Equalites, led the UK’s delegation and visit athletes in Sochi during the Games.
Downing Street announced that Prime Minister David Cameron would not be attending the event – only because it was not a British convention to do so.
Some LGBT rights campaigners urged a boycott of Sochi in protest at Russian President Vladimir Putin’s introduction of the law banning homosexual “propaganda”.
But others fear it would only lead to greater marginalisation of Russia’s LGBT community and be of detriment to the athletes.
Russia has upped visa bans as a retaliation against EU sanctions, visa bans and asset freezes after Crimea was annexed in March 2014.
The Russian foreign ministry has as yet not commented on the leaked document.The Russian foreign ministry has not commented on the leak.
