This week, the papers have reported the death of  Russian businessman, Alexander Perepilichny, in Weybridge, months after he gave evidence in a Swiss money-laundering case linked to the biggest tax fraud in Russian history. The case remains 'unexplained' and subject to investigation by the police. It is too early to jump to any conclusions.

Yet, it comes in the week marking the sixth anniversary of the murder of Alexander Litvinenko, and at a time when Congress in the US looks set to pass a 'Sergei Magnitsky' law imposing visa bans and asset freezes on those responsible for the torture and murder of the Russian dissident lawyer who exposed the tax fraud.

I have written an article in The Times making the case for the UK to follow the US example and enact a Magnitsky law - albeit applicable not just in Russia, but world-wide. The idea is to ban the henchmen of despots and dictators from buying up property in or visiting the UK.

You can access the article here.