LONDON, September 17. /TASS/. By comparing Russia to a fascist state British Foreign Secretary David Lammy offended the memory of all those who died fighting the plague of fascism in the 20th century, the Russian Embassy in London said in a commentary.
"The Embassy strongly rejects UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy's derogatory remarks articulated on September 15 during an interview with a British TV channel when he went so far as to accuse the leadership of the Russian Federation of "imperialist fascism" <…> David Lammy's remarks mainly offend not the leadership of our country but rather the memory of those who fought against the "brown plague" during World War II, including his own compatriots. <…> It is worth recalling that the ideology of "fascism," which relies on theories of racial superiority, is closely associated with the crimes of German Nazism. These are the very crimes that our people and the citizens of other former Soviet republics put a stop to through their unparalleled heroism," the Russian diplomats stressed.
The embassy said that it took note a long time ago of "propensity for inappropriate and provocative statements," of the Foreign Secretary who took office in July after the Labor Party's victory in the parliamentary elections. The embassy added that Lanny he had been known for such statements even before assuming office.
"The Labor politician’s fixation on indiscriminately labeling ideological opponents as "fascists" had previously bewildered many, including among Britain's allies," the embassy said.
"However, holding the position of Foreign Secretary generally entails special responsibility and duty to adhere to standards of diplomatic ethics," the commentary says.
The British Foreign Secretary should have taken note that "Ukrainian militants, which London supports, funds and arms, are fighting under Nazi banners and with fascist chevrons, including in the Kursk region, something even The Times freely admits," the embassy says.
"As for accusations of "imperialism," they sound quite awkward coming from the Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom that has a rich history and experience in this field. Overall, it seems that a cavalier approach to diplomatic language and interpretation of historical events is becoming a "trademark" of the head of the Foreign Office," the Russian embassy summed up.
In a 2018 interview with Time magazine, Lammy, who was not then part of the Labor shadow cabinet, called Trump "not only "woman-hating, neo-Nazi-sympathizing sociopath" but also "a profound threat to the international order.".