Rebecca Pow, the Conservative MP for Taunton Deane’ has strongly condemned Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.

Pow said: "This is a dark day; we are standing with the people of Ukraine and will work with them to ensure their sovereignty and independence."

The MP said the Russian invasion was not merely an attack on a single democratic European country, but had much wider implications: "as the PM has stated, in no uncertain terms, this action by Putin is an attack not only on Ukraine but on democracy around the world - a right the UK will always defend."

The UK has instituted a range of economic sanctions against Russia, but has said it will not commit British troops to defend Ukraine.