London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Aug 02, 2026

PM misspoke over Roman Abramovich sanction claim

PM misspoke over Roman Abramovich sanction claim

Boris Johnson "misspoke" when he claimed Chelsea Football Club's Russian owner Roman Abramovich faced sanctions, his spokesman has said.

During a statement in the House of Commons setting out measures against Russia, Mr Johnson said Mr Abramovich was "already facing sanctions".

But Labour's Chris Bryant later raised a point of order to ask about the accuracy of his remarks.

The prime minister's official spokesman said the PM would correct the record.

Mr Abramovich has had issues with his UK visa before - but has not been sanctioned.

Speaking after the statement as the prime minister left the chamber, Mr Bryant said: "The prime minister said that Roman Abramovich has been sanctioned. As I understand it that has not happened.

"I am sure the prime minister was completely inadvertent in giving a false indication.

"But it would be helpful if the prime minister could correct the record... these are important moments of fact."

Commons speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle said that he was sure a correction would be made if necessary.

Mr Abramovich, who made his fortune in oil and gas in the 1990s, became owner of the companies that control Chelsea in 2003 and is reportedly close to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

He had issues around his entrepreneurial visa in 2018 and eventually withdrew his application.

In October 2021, the businessman's spokesperson confirmed he travelled to London as an Israeli citizen - therefore entering the United Kingdom without the need for a visa.

Mr Abramovich had held a Tier 1 investor visa, a type of document designed to encourage very rich people from outside the EU to invest in the UK.

To apply the individual must be prepared to invest at least £2m in the country within the first three months of arriving.

These visas were scrapped last week as tensions between Russia and Ukraine continued to rise.

In 2021 some opposition MPs called for sanctions to be placed on Mr Abramovich and Alisher Usmanov - who has ties with Everton.


Who is Roman Abramovich?


Mr Abramovich (right) has often been spotted at Chelsea's Stamford Bridge ground


* The 55-year-old is one of Russia's richest people

* He reportedly sold dolls before making his fortune in oil in the 1990s after the collapse of the former Soviet Union

* Mr Abramovich was a one-time business partner of the late tycoon Boris Berezovsky, an associate of former Russian President Boris Yeltsin

* Critics say the two businessmen used their Kremlin "family" ties to acquire key state companies for below market value

* He has served as governor of Russia's Chukotka region

* He is believed to be close to current Russian President Vladimir Putin

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Finland Deploys Commercial-Scale Thermal Batteries Using Crushed Rock to Store Renewable Grid Energy
Valued at $109 Million: F-35B Fighter Jet Crashes in Southern California
Sainsbury Agrees to Sell Argos in £120 Million Deal to Private Consortium
High Court Clears Way for Construction of Chinese Embassy at Royal Mint Court
UK Fuel Prices Climb to Multi-Month Highs as Strait of Hormuz Tensions Disrupt Oil Supplies
Severe Summer Drought and Record Heat Put UK Harvests at Risk
Prime Minister Andy Burnham Faces Labour Backbench Opposition Over Potential Support for New North Sea Oil and Gas Drilling
Bank of England Warns Inflation Will Stay Above 3% as Middle East Energy Shock Prolongs Cost-of-Living Pressures
Andy Burnham has Announces Plans to Redistribute Income Tax Revenue to English Mayors
Early-Release Scheme Faces Fresh Scrutiny as Reoffending and Prison Recalls Rise
Police Phone Checks Followed Report on Murder of MI5 Agent Inside Sinn Féin
Archbishop of Canterbury Reaffirms £100 Million Reparative Justice Fund During Ghana Visit
Charities Allege French Police Used Tear Gas Against Channel Migrants
Norwegian Teenager Convicted Over Iran-Linked Murder Plot in Britain
Christian Organisations File Charity Complaints Against Amnesty International UK
Ofgem Tightens Grid Connection Rules for New Data Centres
FTSE 100 Reaches Record High Despite Global Technology Sell-Off
Millions of UK Households Urged to Check Eligibility for Winter Energy Discount
Labour Restores Parliamentary Whips to Diane Abbott and Joani Reid
UK Supreme Court to Hear Challenge Over Palestine Action Ban
UK Commits More Than £8.4 Billion to Dreadnought Nuclear Submarine Programme
England Declares Severe Drought as Wildfire Burns Near Sizewell Nuclear Site
Bank of England Holds Interest Rates at 3.75% as Middle East Tensions Fuel Inflation Risks
Drought Status Extended Across All of Wales as Heat and Dry Weather Deepen Environmental Strain
Record-Low Danube Exposes Probable Mammoth Remains in Bulgaria
UK Business Confidence Climbs to Four-Month High
Greater Manchester Gains Expanded Powers Under Regional Funding Reforms
UK Supreme Court to Hear Appeal Over Palestine Action Terror Ban
Shell's Quarterly Profit Doubles to Nearly $10 Billion on Higher Energy Prices
UK Government Removes VAT From Household Electricity Bills
Exceptional Drought Grips Half of England as Wildfire Threatens Sizewell
Bank of England Holds Interest Rates at 3.75% as Inflation Risks Persist
US Says It Has Carried Out Heavy Strikes on Iran After Attempted Attacks on Its Forces
The chief executive of the popular gaming company laid off many employees and his pay rose to 38 million dollars
UK Employment Holds Steady as Wage Growth Remains Moderate
England to Introduce Artificial Intelligence into Secondary School Curriculum
Wales Launches £1.2 Billion Industrial Regeneration Programme
High Court Upholds UK Digital Surveillance Framework
Northern Ireland Reaches Budget Agreement on Infrastructure and Public Sector Pay
Home Office Expands Digital Border Checks Nationwide
UK Approves Major North Sea Wind and Carbon Capture Project
The World's Most Terrifying Smartphone: Recording, Documenting, and Reporting to the Regime
Scotland Approves Major Renewable Energy Expansion
UK and United States Sign AI and Semiconductor Cooperation Pact
UK Treasury Tightens Fiscal Controls After Gilt Market Volatility
Bank of England Holds Interest Rates at 4.5%
UK Unveils £10 Billion NHS Funding Overhaul and Workforce Reform
The AI User Nightmare: Private Claude Conversations Leaked to the Internet
UK: Former Football Association Leaders Call for World Cup Boycott Over FIFA Privatization Plan
Forbidden Love: China severs millions from their virtual partners
×