Russian oligarchs with links to the Kremlin can now be banned from the UK, the government has announced as part of a fresh sanctions package on the third anniversary of Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.

The Home Office said “elites” linked to the Russian state can now be prevented from entering the UK under the new sanctions.

Those who could be banned include anyone who provides “significant support” to the Kremlin, those who owe their “significant status or wealth” to the Russian state, and those “who enjoy access to the highest levels” of the regime.

The announcement has been timed to coincide with the three-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Another set of sanctions is expected from the Foreign Office on Monday.

Security minister Dan Jarvis said: “Border security is national security, and we will use all the tools at our disposal to protect our country against the threat from Russia.

“The measures announced today slam the door shut to the oligarchs who have enriched themselves at the expense of the Russian people whilst bankrolling this illegal and unjustifiable war.

“My message to Putin’s friends in Moscow is simple: you are not welcome in the UK.”

The UK government said Kremlin-linked elites can pose a “real and present danger to our way of life” as they denounce British values in public “while enjoying the benefits of the UK in private”.

It said they can act as “tools” for the Russian state to enable President Putin’s aggression in Ukraine and beyond.

Shortly after the war in Ukraine started on 24 February 2022, the UK imposed financial sanctions on oligarchs, including closing legal loopholes used to launder money.

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In November last year, Operation Destabilise, run by the National Crime Agency (NCA), successfully disrupted two billion-dollar Russian money laundering networks operating around the world, including in the UK which was a key hub.

They provided services to Russian oligarchs and were helping fund Kremlin espionage operations.

One of the key players was identified as Ekaterina Zhdanova who is alleged to have run a money laundering network called Smart. She was sanctioned by the US in November last year and is currently in French custody awaiting a trial.

A total of 84 arrests were made under Operation Destabilise in November and more than £20m in illicit funds seized.

The NCA has made a further six arrests since then and seized £1m more in case.

The networks also helped Russian clients to illegally bypass financial restrictions to invest money in the UK.

US officials have been in talks with their Russian counterparts in Saudi Arabia over the future of Ukraine for the past week.

However, neither Ukraine nor any European country was at the table, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy saying he will not accept any peace deal Kyiv is not involved in.

Sir Keir Starmer has backed Mr Zelenskyy on that so all eyes will be on the prime minister when he visits Mr Trump in Washington DC this week.

Just Eat Takeaway.com has agreed a takeover by a Dutch-based technology investor which says it wants to create a “European champion” for food delivery.

Prosus, which already has a 28% stake in global rival Delivery Hero, said its all-cash offer valued Just Eat at €4.1bn (£3.4bn).

It represented €20.3 euros per share on the Amsterdam exchange – a 22% premium on the highest value of its stock over the past three months.

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Just Eat said the offer was unanimously supported by its management and board.

Europe’s biggest meal delivery firm also confirmed that its current leadership would remain in place under the agreement while it would continue to be based in Amsterdam.

It made the announcement alongside annual results that showed a 35% rise in pre-tax profits during 2024 to €460m (£382m).

Just Eat said the performance was driven by an improvement in its key UK and Ireland market, mainly due to lower costs of fulfilling orders and more efficient marketing.

Prosus said of its Just Eat plans: “Its success within the United Kingdom, Germany and The Netherlands, has led to profitable, cash generative operations, with considerable growth potential, which Prosus intends to build upon.

“As a leading global food delivery investor and operator, with a proven track record in successfully scaling ecommerce platforms, Prosus is well positioned to invest in and accelerate growth at Just Eat Takeaway.com to unlock value beyond its standalone potential as a listed business.

“Prosus’s highly effective growth strategy at iFood, in Brazil, provides a ready guide to transform Just Eat Takeaway.com’s growth path through renewed focus across tech, product features, demand generation, offer quality and service.”

Fabricio Bloisi, its chief executive, added: “Prosus already has an extensive food delivery portfolio outside of Europe and a proven track record of profitable growth through investment in our customer and driver experiences, restaurant partnerships, and world-class logistics, powered by innovation and AI.

“We believe that combining Prosus’s strong technical and investment capabilities with Just Eat Takeaway.com’s leading brand position in key European markets will create significant value for our customers, drivers, partners, and shareholders.”

Britain’s payments watchdog is expected to be abolished as part of a purge of regulators being thrashed out in Whitehall.

Sky News has learnt that ministers and officials are examining whether to scrap the Payment Systems Regulator (PSR) and fold it into the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

A decision is expected to be taken in principle within weeks, although sources indicated this weekend that the government was “actively considering” a decision to scrap the body.

If confirmed, it would form part of a crackdown on Britain’s economic regulators instigated by Sir Keir Starmer, the prime minister, and Rachel Reeves, the chancellor, as they seek to cut red tape and stimulate economic growth.

The chairman of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), Marcus Bokkerink, was ousted by ministers last month amid concerns that it was paying too little heed to UK competitiveness.

Mr Bokkerink was replaced by Doug Gurr, a former Amazon executive.

Since then, both the chair and chief executive of the Financial Ombudsman Service have announced plans to step down.

Speaking in January, Jonathan Reynolds, the business secretary, signalled that a number of watchdogs could be abolished, saying: “We’ve got to genuinely ask ourselves the question: have we got the right number of regulators?”

He did not publicly identify which of them could be axed, although the Financial Times reported this week that the chancellor would order an audit of roughly 130 regulators across the economy to assess whether they were sufficiently focused on growth.

On Christmas Eve, the PM and chancellor wrote to about 15 major regulators – including Ofcom, Ofgem and Ofwat – demanding ideas for how to remove bureaucracy from the economy and more proactively encourage growth.

Ms Reeves has since held a number of roundtable discussions with the recipients of the letter.

The PSR employs roughly 160 people, according to its website, and is directly accountable to parliament.

It was created under the Financial Services (Banking Reform) Act 2013, and became operational two years later.

The body, which is accountable to parliament, has been criticised by industry and politicians over its regulatory approach, including in relation to fraud reimbursement by financial services firms.

Nevertheless, its function is regarded as critical as technology reshapes the global payments industry.

David Geale, the interim managing director of the PSR, has been in post since last summer.

The watchdog is chaired by Aidene Walsh, a former boss of the financial wellbeing charity, the Fairbanking Foundation.

Sheldon Mills, the FCA’s executive director, consumers and competition, also sits on the PSR board.

One source said scrapping the PSR and folding it into the FCA would make sense for several reasons, including the questions over its performance.

“No other major economy has a standalone payments regulator like this, and it is hard to make the case for it continuing to exist,” the source said this weekend.

The Treasury declined to comment, while the PSR did not respond to an emailed enquiry on Saturday morning.