Andy Burnham faced a furious backlash over plans to invite Vladimir Putin to attend the G20 summit in Manchester.
Government sources on Friday confirmed that the Russian tyrant will be invited to send a delegation next year despite the continuing war in Ukraine.
One insider admitted the decision was ‘deeply regrettable’, but insisted the Government had no choice as there was no consensus on expelling Russia from the G20.
Ministers do not believe Putin will attend in person for fear that the British courts will uphold an International Criminal Court warrant for his arrest for alleged war crimes in Ukraine.
He is also accused of ordering the 2018 Salisbury poisoning, which killed mother-of-three Dawn Sturgess.
But critics warned that the presence of a high-level Russian delegation in the UK would send a signal that relations are being normalised, handing a propaganda coup to the Kremlin.
Boris Johnson said it would be ‘unthinkable’ for Putin or henchmen such as foreign minister Sergei Lavrov to be allowed to set foot in the UK.
The former Prime Minister said: ‘We cannot send a signal that we are returning to business as usual with Putin because that is exactly what he wants.
‘If we must invite a Russian delegation because the G20 is too spineless to kick them out then we should make it clear that war criminals, including Putin, will be arrested if they come here.’
Andy Burnham faced a furious backlash over plans to invite Vladimir Putin to attend the G20 summit in Manchester. Pictured: Burnham holding interviews at No10 North
Ministers do not believe Vladimir Putin (pictured) will attend in person for fear that the British courts will uphold an International Criminal Court warrant for his arrest for alleged war crimes in Ukraine
Tory national security spokesman Alicia Kearns said: ‘Allowing Russian war criminals into Britain for the G20 would be an insult to all those who have fought and died in Ukraine.
‘Moscow is not welcome until they end their barbaric and illegal invasion.’
Whitehall sources said the prospect of a Russian invitation is also causing disquiet within government.
One source said that both the Foreign Office and the Ministry of Defence were ‘opposed’ to the idea.
It is said to have been pushed through by Downing Street and the Cabinet Office, which is in charge of preparations for the G20.
One security source told the Mail: ‘Russia is an enemy not just of the UK, but of the West as a whole. They are engaged in hostile activity against us every single day.
‘Whatever the diplomatic niceties around this, they will treat their presence at a G20 summit in the UK as a propaganda coup, which they will use at home to gain unwarranted legitimacy.’
A Government spokesman said: ‘Russian participation in G20 meetings is regrettable.
‘The G20 is a consensus-based multilateral grouping, all countries are invited and it’s a matter for member states who represents them at summits.’
On Friday night Downing Street insisted that Mr Burnham remained ‘steadfast’ in his support for Ukraine.
