London law firms have been targeted in the debate over sanctions against Russian oligarchs.

Conservative MP Bob Seely took on the "amoral" lawyers who acted on behalf of "Putin's henchmen" in the House of Commons on Wednesday, naming four of them.

Jochen Buchsteiner

Political correspondent in London.

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Labor MP Ben Bradshaw had previously called for British lawyers to be pilloried.

Health Minister Sajid Javid spoke of "collaborators in white collars".

Labor calls for sanctions

Secretary of State Liz Truss recently reported countless "preemptive" briefs to the government by law firms representing the interests of Russian clients.

So far, only a few Russians with assets in the kingdom have been prosecuted.

Most of the 35 oligarchs whom the Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalnyj declared worthy of sanctions have not yet been affected by the sanctions, but fear for their investments.

Labor leader Keir Starmer called on Prime Minister Boris Johnson in the House of Commons on Wednesday to sanction "all oligarchs" and freeze their property in the kingdom.

He and other deputies also named names, including Oleg Deripaska, Igor Shuvalov and Roman Abramovich.

Apparently Abrambowitsch, who only occasionally enters the country with his Israeli or Portuguese passport, is trying to sell his London properties, including a reported £150 million property near Kensington Palace.

On Wednesday he confirmed the sale of his football club Chelsea, where German Thomas Tuchel works as a coach.

Abramovitsch announced that net profits from the deal would go to the victims of the Russian war via a foundation.

His daughter Sofia had previously shared a meme critical of Putin on her Instagram page.

At the weekend Prime Minister Boris Johnson described it as "incomprehensible" that the oligarchs linked to London would remain silent on Moscow's war against Ukraine.

Defamation lawsuits against publisher and author

When Abramovich and three other billionaires filed defamation lawsuits against publisher HarperCollins and author Catherine Bolten ("Putin's People") in 2020, they were represented by attorneys from the law firms CMS and Harbottle & Lewis.

The process has been described by many as a deliberate intimidation of the press and publishers.

It recently ended with an agreement in the course of which the publisher announced corrections.

Among other things, Abramovich had defended himself against the accusation that he had bought the Chelsea club at the behest of Putin.

MP Seely accused the lawyers involved - as well as a lawyer from the law firm Carter-Ruck - of having entered into a "coalition of the miserable" with the oligarchs.

"How did our society get into a position where kleptocrats, criminals and oligarchs intimidate the free press?" he asked.

On Wednesday he spoke of "systemic state corruption" and asked Johnson if he was aware of the seriousness of the situation.

He reminded law firms that they had recently been warned to observe the sanctions.

They also have an official duty to protect the reputation of the UK legal system and will be sanctioned if they fail to do so.

Johnson praises Britain's 'leading role'

The President of the Law Society, Stephanie Boyce, insisted on Wednesday that all affiliated law firms behave in accordance with the law.

However, it remains their "task to represent their clients, whoever they may be, so that the courts decide fairly." This is the only way to create trust in a constitutional state - "unlike in Putin's tyrant system".

During the House of Commons debate, which began with a standing ovation for the Ukrainian ambassador in attendance, Johnson said Parliament could be proud of Britain's "leading role".

His country not only pushed through the exclusion of Russian banks from the SWIFT system against resistance, but also delivered arms to Ukraine at an early stage.

He announced further military support - and new sanctions.

He did not want to comment on individual cases like Abramovich, but promised to publish a complete list "with all those who are connected to the Putin regime".

"We will disclose the ownership structure in London and across the kingdom in a way that was not possible before." This will "continue to tighten the noose around Putin's regime."