(Bloomberg) — Boris Johnson indicated his government may further reduce the grace period for foreign owners of UK assets to register their interests, expediting action in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine Amid mounting pressure on the Prime Minister.
While the government is planning to give people six months to comply with its new register – already less than the original 18 months – the opposition Labor Party is trying to prevent people from having time to transfer property abroad. Insist on 28 days notice period. The register is part of the government’s Economic Offenses Bill, which is due to be voted on Monday in the House of Commons.
Asked about the bill on Monday ahead of parliamentary debate, Johnson told broadcasters: “We certainly want to go as fast as possible.” “There is much more to be done.” Foreign Secretary Liz Truss is scheduled to make a statement on the issue in Parliament at 3:30 pm
The Prime Minister’s remarks suggest that ministers may be ready to compromise. Ministers are trying to strike a balance between targeting foreign criminals and avoiding ensnaring legitimate, law-abiding bosses.
In a separate amendment to the bill, under a scheme introduced by British MPs, the property of Russian oligarchs could be confiscated before they were formally introduced by the UK government.
The House of Commons could vote on a measure proposed by former minister David Davis. It reflects concerns that Johnson’s government has been too slow to hit oligarchs with money in London as a way to pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin to end his invasion of Ukraine.
The British government is already responding to pressure to tackle Russian money laundering in response to the invasion of Ukraine, and has proposed new powers to more quickly clear those already already in the EU, the US. And as such has been punished by British allies. Canada.
Johnson hosted Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Root at his London office on Monday. He will also speak with US President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz later on Monday.
UK MP David Davies skips the extradition hearing of Mike Lynch, the former chief executive of Autonomy Corp. At Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London, Britain on Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2021. Lynch is now fighting extradition over allegations of the Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Co.’s purchase of his firm, Autonomy Corp., and its humiliating collapse.
Britain has lagged behind the US and the European Union in approving individual Russians and has blamed delays in building strong legal cases to avoid overturning sanctions in court. Since the invasion, Britain has targeted 11 wealthy Russians as well as Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
The government has also come under criticism for its alleged slowness in granting visas to Ukrainian refugees, having released only 50 reports. “It’s certainly not a success,” House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Tom Tugendhat told LBC radio on Monday.
Asked about the number of visas issued, Johnson told reporters he did not have the exact number.
“What we will not do, and let me be very clear, what we will not do is have a system where people can come into the UK without any checks or any controls, I don’t think that is the right approach,” Johnson said. . “But what we will do is have a system that is very liberal.
“I think people who have extra rooms, who want to receive people coming from Ukraine, want us to have a system that enables them to do that,” Johnson said. “And it’s already happening.”
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