Andy Burnham is facing furious backlash over his plans to invite Vladimir Putin to attend the G20 summit in Manchester.
Government sources confirmed on Friday the Russian President will be invited to send a delegate to next year’s summit, despite the ongoing war with Ukraine.
A source told The Daily Mail that the decision was “deeply regrettable”; however, because there was no consensus on expelling the Russian leader, the Government had no choice but to invite him.
Ministers believe Mr Putin will not attend the summit over fears that British courts will uphold an International Criminal Court warrant for his arrest over alleged war crimes in Ukraine.
Mr Putin is also accused of ordering the 2018 Salisbury Poisoning, which killed mother of three Dawn Sturgess.
Boris Johnson has said it would be “unthinkable” for Mr Putin or a delegate to set foot in the UK.
He told the Mail: “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.”
Conservative 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.”
The Mail reports that Whitehall sources have said that the prospect of the Russian leader on UK soil has caused disquiet in Government.
One source said that both the Foreign Office and Ministry of Defence were “opposed” to the invitation.
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They added that Downing Street and the Cabinet Office, which lead G20 preparations, had pushed the decision through.
A security source said: “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.”
Downing Street insisted that Mr Burnham remains “steadfast” in his support for Ukraine.
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