A Scots peer and former Labour defence minister has defended his decision to join a delegation of Lords who travelled to Russia’s parliament last year for talks aimed at restoring inter-parliamentary relations.
Lord Browne of Ladyton, Tory Lord Balfe and Viscount Waverley, a crossbencher, met Vyacheslav Volodin, the speaker of the state assembly, and other Russian representatives at the Duma, Russia’s parliament, in December.
Lord Balfe has admitted that British security services were clear they were not happy with the visit.
Lord Browne said: “I have a history of saying in parliament we should talk to the Russians and we should tell them to their faces what it is they need to do. I have encouraged successive prime ministers to do that and indeed that is exactly what Theresa May said when she met with Putin.” He added: “This (visit) was paid for by parliament. It was approved to that extent.”
The Foreign Office said: “The prime minister has been clear that we should maintain dialogue with Russia on matters of international peace and security but there can be no normalisation of our relationship until Russia ends the destabilising activity that threatens the UK and our allies.”
Labour did not respond to a request for comment.
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