UK politics: Tactics used by P&O to sack 800 crew ‘completely unacceptable’, says No 10 – as it happened

This blog has now closed, you can read more about P&O's dismissal of all 800 crew members here

Yachts moored in the UK suspected of being linked to Russian oligarchs have been stopped from leaving, Grant Shapps, the transport secretary, has told MPs.

During transport questions this morning, Shapps said a small number" of yachts were affected, and that inquiries into their ownership were still underway. He told the Commons:

I would like to update the House on the actions we've taken to clamp down on Russian interests in the UK.

We have detained private jets that we believe are owned by or connected to [Vladimir] Putin's cronies. And now I can confirm that we're investigating a small number of yachts moored in this country we suspect are also linked to Russian oligarchs.

Yes, I do join [Amesbury] in congratulating them. It came after I wrote to all the ports and asked them not to allow in Russian ships and Russian-connected ships.

It looks as if the Department for Work and Pensions doesn't believe in levelling up, it doesn't believe in its own rhetoric on jobs, and it doesn't believe in keeping people in work.

We hear that offices are going to be closed in Stoke, in Southend, in Peterborough, in Chesterfield and Aberdeen, in Kirkcaldy, in Barrow, Bishop Auckland, Doncaster and Burnley, taking jobs out of these communities.