Minister defends relaxing some Russian oil sanctions with Starmer set to face PMQs grilling – UK politics live

From 1h agoMinister defends relaxing some sanctions on Russian oil, saying 'time-limited' move will help family finances

Dan Tomlinson, a Treasury minister, defended the government’s decision to relax some sanctions on Russian oil in interviews this morning. He also insisted the move would be time-limited.

On the Today programme, asked why the government was putting keeping down the cost of flights abroad above the need to support Ukraine, he replied:

double quotation mark

I reject the binary that you’ve offered me, there.

I think it is entirely possible, and plausible, and as in fact what the government is doing, to have one of the strongest sanction regimes in the world, to be leading the international effort to support Ukraine, and to make sure that Vladimir Putin doesn’t get what he wants from his things.

And at the same time, to take responsible choices that prioritise, rightly as we should, the domestic security, the family finances here in the UK, and the ability for important products to be available not just for holidays but for international movement of freight and goods and business activity as well.

And that’s why this time-limited change has been announced by the government.

Dan Tomlinson, the Treasury minister, has said the government would not force supermarkets to impose compulsory price caps on food items.","elementId":"5665479d-ee85-4779-add1-e655a750d114"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

As the Guardian and others have reported, the government has raised the idea of a voluntary cap in discussions with supermarkets.","elementId":"eb545452-1361-42d3-bce6-c16e7430dfb4"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

Tomlinson insisted that there would no mandatory cap on food prices (as proposed by the SNP in Scotland).","elementId":"214db01c-e5bb-4421-843b-839bb38c0bf3"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

But, when it was put to him on the Today programme that voluntary price caps had been discussed, he replied:","elementId":"5e7a81ee-3ec7-48f6-8457-e7a652a2aa6a"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.BlockquoteBlockElement","html":"\n

It’s right that the government looks across the board at what more we can do - both government levers but also talking to industry about the steps that they can take to support people with the cost of living.\n","elementId":"84d90ae5-e9ab-45c2-9d98-1f5e489d20c7"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

Speaking on LBC, he also said that he thought the supermarket sector was “highly competitive” and the profiteering was generally a problem in businesses that were not competitive.","elementId":"f2d9e8ce-b0a0-43a2-a66a-228a010a144a"}],"attributes":{"pinned":false,"keyEvent":true,"summary":false},"blockCreatedOn":1779268294000,"blockCreatedOnDisplay":"11.11 CEST","blockLastUpdated":1779269015000,"blockLastUpdatedDisplay":"11.23 CEST","blockFirstPublished":1779269015000,"blockFirstPublishedDisplay":"11.23 CEST","blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone":"11.23","title":"Minister rules out mandatory price caps on supermarket food items - but does not deny voluntary measures being discussed","contributors":[],"primaryDateLine":"Wed 20 May 2026 11.58 CEST","secondaryDateLine":"First published on Wed 20 May 2026 09.55 CEST"},{"id":"6a0d777d8f083aa1e144b229","elements":[{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

Business leaders have joined the Conservatives (see 8.55am) in attacking the government’s proposal for supermarkets to voluntarily impose price caps on some food items.","elementId":"77fbc518-fbc2-458f-aaea-2647a4948823"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

In an interview on the Today programme, Stuart Rose, a former chair at Marks & Spencer and at Asda, said:","elementId":"904d2933-20a6-42cd-8afb-cf58277a26bf"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.BlockquoteBlockElement","html":"\n

I think the whole idea is the stuff of nonsense and it will never fly.\n

This smacks of state control, it’s idiotic, it’s dangerous and it’ll never work.\n","elementId":"f8734a91-814d-45fd-a379-de025f54755a"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

Rose, who is also a Tory peer, said that while supermarket profits may have gone up, “that’s because sales will have gone up because the business is efficient and it is attracting more customers, and therefore, it is doing the job that it should do – i.e. capitalism does work and customers get great choice.”","elementId":"a8c2f92a-9d3d-4745-a8a6-b6c05e9925df"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

And, as the BBC reports, Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium, said:","elementId":"9c040fb3-6b8b-4c39-a511-4cb08ce289bd"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.BlockquoteBlockElement","html":"\n

The UK has the most affordable grocery prices in Western Europe thanks to the fierce competition between supermarkets.\n

Rather than introduce 1970s style price controls and trying to force retailers to sell goods at a loss, the government must focus on how it will reduce the public policy costs which are pushing up food prices in the first place.\n","elementId":"71bbb116-6ca4-4202-b62b-6e06b017a83b"}],"attributes":{"pinned":false,"keyEvent":true,"summary":false},"blockCreatedOn":1779267453000,"blockCreatedOnDisplay":"10.57 CEST","blockLastUpdated":1779269201000,"blockLastUpdatedDisplay":"11.26 CEST","blockFirstPublished":1779268141000,"blockFirstPublishedDisplay":"11.09 CEST","blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone":"11.09","title":"'Idiotic, dangerous and will never work' - Stuart Rose, former M&S chair, blasts voluntary price caps proposal","contributors":[],"primaryDateLine":"Wed 20 May 2026 11.58 CEST","secondaryDateLine":"First published on Wed 20 May 2026 09.55 CEST"},{"id":"6a0d772a8f083aa1e144b222","elements":[{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

Rachel Reeves is ​preparing to announce a planning shake-up ‌that would fast-track clean energy ​and infrastructure projects by curbing judicial reviews, the ​Treasury has said. Lauren Almeida has the story.","elementId":"411b8cac-a89c-4917-8372-373cefdcda85"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.RichLinkBlockElement","prefix":"Related: ","text":"Rachel Reeves to protect ‘critical’ clean energy projects from legal challenges","elementId":"3dbe2ea7-8bba-4dcf-94b4-3d84663ee608","role":"thumbnail","url":"https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/may/20/rachel-reeves-protect-clean-energy-projects-legal-challenges-environment"}],"attributes":{"pinned":false,"keyEvent":true,"summary":false},"blockCreatedOn":1779267370000,"blockCreatedOnDisplay":"10.56 CEST","blockLastUpdated":1779267416000,"blockLastUpdatedDisplay":"10.56 CEST","blockFirstPublished":1779267416000,"blockFirstPublishedDisplay":"10.56 CEST","blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone":"10.56","title":"Rachel Reeves to protect ‘critical’ clean energy projects from legal challenges","contributors":[],"primaryDateLine":"Wed 20 May 2026 11.58 CEST","secondaryDateLine":"First published on Wed 20 May 2026 09.55 CEST"},{"id":"6a0d74f18f083aa1e144b208","elements":[{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

Dan Tomlinson, a Treasury minister, defended the government’s decision to relax some sanctions on Russian oil in interviews this morning. He also insisted the move would be time-limited.","elementId":"496a3aa5-297b-41a9-86f7-501134d91b34"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

On the Today programme, asked why the government was putting keeping down the cost of flights abroad above the need to support Ukraine, he replied:","elementId":"97ce2338-7add-4f49-8e46-490f1bb1b9ac"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.BlockquoteBlockElement","html":"\n

I reject the binary that you’ve offered me, there.\n

I think it is entirely possible, and plausible, and as in fact what the government is doing, to have one of the strongest sanction regimes in the world, to be leading the international effort to support Ukraine, and to make sure that Vladimir Putin doesn’t get what he wants from his things.\n

And at the same time, to take responsible choices that prioritise, rightly as we should, the domestic security, the family finances here in the UK, and the ability for important products to be available not just for holidays but for international movement of freight and goods and business activity as well.\n

And that’s why this time-limited change has been announced by the government.\n","elementId":"0d7dc9a3-5aa6-4cf9-8dae-1089ecfa7abc"}],"attributes":{"pinned":true,"keyEvent":true,"summary":false},"blockCreatedOn":1779266801000,"blockCreatedOnDisplay":"10.46 CEST","blockLastUpdated":1779267195000,"blockLastUpdatedDisplay":"10.53 CEST","blockFirstPublished":1779267195000,"blockFirstPublishedDisplay":"10.53 CEST","blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone":"10.53","title":"Minister defends relaxing some sanctions on Russian oil, saying 'time-limited' move will help family finances","contributors":[],"primaryDateLine":"Wed 20 May 2026 11.58 CEST","secondaryDateLine":"First published on Wed 20 May 2026 09.55 CEST"},{"id":"6a0d73bf8f083aa1e144b1fd","elements":[{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

Priti Patel, the shadow foreign secretary, has also been posting on social media about the government’s decision to relax some sanctions on Russian oil. She says:","elementId":"dd885a11-416e-40f3-89d5-f1986a4cb779"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.BlockquoteBlockElement","html":"\n

Labour’s ridiculous energy policies have weakened Britain and must be reversed.\n

The British Government should not be in a position where it relaxes sanctions on Russian energy or helps to strengthen Putin’s energy revenues.\n

Yesterday Labour voted against our domestic oil and gas industry in Parliament. They must immediately change course and stop trying to shut down the North Sea.\n","elementId":"dfab2a0d-257b-4e80-a003-92e29d078cbb"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.BlockquoteBlockElement","html":"\n

Labour’s energy policies and their ideological approach has weakened our country’s energy security.\n

Russian oil is not the solution to cost of living pressures or the headwinds facing businesses.\n","elementId":"6c788c42-e7e6-475d-a6de-736d869bacc3"}],"attributes":{"pinned":false,"keyEvent":true,"summary":false},"blockCreatedOn":1779266495000,"blockCreatedOnDisplay":"10.41 CEST","blockLastUpdated":1779266769000,"blockLastUpdatedDisplay":"10.46 CEST","blockFirstPublished":1779266614000,"blockFirstPublishedDisplay":"10.43 CEST","blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone":"10.43","title":"Russian oil 'not solution to cost of living pressures', say Tories","contributors":[],"primaryDateLine":"Wed 20 May 2026 11.58 CEST","secondaryDateLine":"First published on Wed 20 May 2026 09.55 CEST"},{"id":"6a0d71388f08a73f98eb495a","elements":[{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

Ed Davey, the Lib Dem leader, has said his party will look in detail at the plans to relax sanctions on some Russian oil products and has concerns about support for Ukraine being undermined.","elementId":"0bbcb158-2f66-4f04-922c-4aa304d6805a"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

But he has not condemned the announcement outright – unlike Kemi Badenoch, who argues it shows the government’s refusal to allow new drilling for oil in the North Sea is “insane”. (See 8.55am.)","elementId":"e6d66c6e-922c-47e3-8053-c111926389f4"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

Here is Caroline Davies’s story about the government’s announcement last night.","elementId":"2f6e0580-16b9-4cf7-8853-7170507433f8"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.RichLinkBlockElement","prefix":"Related: ","text":"UK relaxes strict sanctions on Russian crude as oil costs soar","elementId":"c45ca674-716d-4bf3-9914-239eb3f8198d","role":"thumbnail","url":"https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/may/20/uk-relaxes-strict-sanctions-on-russian-crude-oil"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

Speaking to Sky News this morning, Davey said:","elementId":"78150a66-159d-47da-a414-d4a3b0c458b7"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.BlockquoteBlockElement","html":"\n

The government has a real challenge here, because this appalling war in Iran … is pushing up the cost of living, is pushing up diesel and petrol prices.\n

But we’ve also got to remember that we need to support our Ukrainian allies, they are fighting and paying a heavy, heavy price to beat that appalling Russian invasion, they’re on the front line of our defence and security, and the question is, has the government got that trade off right?\n","elementId":"8be0dbe1-87bd-484b-a773-4fcee6a5a19a"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

Davey said the Lib Dems wanted to consider the proposal in detail.","elementId":"2a57b1cb-8a4c-42f4-9ec6-ca1125f9055e"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.BlockquoteBlockElement","html":"\n

This proposal is complicated … because they’ve got some proposals where they’re tightening the sanctions at the same time, so it’s a package, and it only came up late last night. We will look at it. We’re really, really worried if there’s any undermining of our support for Ukraine.\n","elementId":"f14ffde1-3f5c-4f0d-ae33-64f64bbe61ac"}],"attributes":{"pinned":false,"keyEvent":true,"summary":false},"blockCreatedOn":1779265848000,"blockCreatedOnDisplay":"10.30 CEST","blockLastUpdated":1779266372000,"blockLastUpdatedDisplay":"10.39 CEST","blockFirstPublished":1779266373000,"blockFirstPublishedDisplay":"10.39 CEST","blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone":"10.39","title":"Ed Davey reserves judgment on government plan to relax some sanctions on Russian oil","contributors":[],"primaryDateLine":"Wed 20 May 2026 11.58 CEST","secondaryDateLine":"First published on Wed 20 May 2026 09.55 CEST"},{"id":"6a0d70e88f089b24e2be25cf","elements":[{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

Britain’s second most senior diplomat in Washington, who stood in as interim ambassador after the sacking of Peter Mandelson, has abruptly left his post, Ben Quinn reports.","elementId":"4440dac7-08b7-4176-98ba-09f481bdc1f1"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.RichLinkBlockElement","prefix":"Related: ","text":"Britain’s second most senior diplomat in Washington abruptly leaves post","elementId":"42044a03-4cc5-48c8-a8b5-ec57ccc8b7f6","role":"thumbnail","url":"https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/may/20/british-diplomat-james-roscoe-abruptly-leaves-washington-embassy-post"}],"attributes":{