The former defence secretary has recalled telling Russia 10 days ahead of their Ukrainian invasion: “Don’t do it, please don’t”.

Ben Wallace met Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu in Moscow and told him he did not want anyone to die.

Now a backbencher who is standing down at the next election, the Tory MP told Nick Robinson’s Political Thinking podcast that he asked them “nicely” but they just lied.

Political Thinking episodes