Gove working on plans to seize property from ‘Putin’s cronies’

Michael Gove is drawing up plans to seize UK property owed by “Putin’s cronies”, without paying them compensation. According to Whitehall sources, the lavish mansions and flats could then be used to house Ukrainians fleeing their homeland. The proposals, touted at the beginning of the week, are now being discussed by the levelling up secretary and other ministers. The prime minister is said to be supportive of Gove’s plans to seize the land and property of sanctioned oligarchs. However, the proposals are likely to require legislation, and government lawyers have concerns the plans would be subject to legal challenges because they would undermine UK property rights. No final government decision has been reached on whether to proceed. One government insider involved in Gove’s plans said “freezing assets is not enough” and officials in the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities were “looking at seizing the land and property of sanctioned individuals”. The FT (£)