The martyrdom of Alexei Navalny must galvanise all those who treasure peace and justice

Stand up to Vlad

DEMOCRACY campaigner Alexei Navalny knew his death was likely when he returned to Russia in spite of Putin’s previous attempt to have him killed, yet still he went.

His courage in continuing to oppose the tyrant, even as he was brutalised in a Siberian penal colony, was immense.

Now his bruised and lifeless body provides compelling evidence against murderous Putin and his cronies.

Putin won’t care. He wants the West — and ordinary Russians — to fear he is all powerful.

That is why the assassinations of anyone who opposes him are so brazen, and why his deranged ally Dmitry Medvedev threatens a nuclear Armageddon if Russia doesn’t get its way.

But Putin is only as powerful as the West allows him to be.

Sanctions on Putin and his kleptocratic supporters must be tightened. European Nato members who don’t already pay their share must increase defence spending.

Republicans in America must stop playing party politics and approve the $60 billion of military aid that brave Ukrainians need to repel Putin’s aggression.

If they don’t, then Putin will only be emboldened. He thinks he has silenced his arch critic. He thinks he can kill with impunity.

The martyrdom of Alexei Navalny must galvanise all those who treasure peace and justice to prove he can’t.

Save our sups

FEW things encapsulate the British way of life better than the traditional pub, but our bars — a crucial part of this country’s social fabric — are in crisis.

Already 30 pubs a week are forced to close.

A quarter of hospitality businesses have run out of money and more than 7,000 pubs are unlikely to open this time next year.

There is clearly a massive problem.

MPs who don’t get it should spend more time in their local. If they did, and listened to what was said, they might not be so out of touch with voters.

A cut in booze duty would not only save our hospitality industry. It would help those struggling with the cost of living.

We’d all say “Cheers” to that.

Mis-judged

A MIGRANT who smuggled his way into Britain in the back of a lorry had previously told French authorities he was over 18, which his stubble, receding hairline and lined face clearly suggested.

Home Office officials, not unreasonably, judged he was at least 22. Indeed, once housed in a hostel here, he insisted on playing football with adults.

Appeal judges, however, have now said his asylum claim — that he was only 17 — should be believed.

What are they on — apart from fat salaries, of course?