WE'VE VLAD ENOUGH
Russia vows revenge as Theresa May kicks out 23 Russian spies from UK and blasts Vladimir Putin’s ‘contempt’ for Salisbury poisoning
RUSSIA has vowed to strike back after Britain moved to banish 23 Russian spooks within a week in the wake of the spy poisoning scandal.
Responding to Theresa May's announcement that diplomats who are really spies will be booted out, Moscow threatened its "response measures will not be long in coming".
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The PM said Russia had shown "contempt and defiance" in the aftermath of an attempt to kill ex-spy Sergei Skripal and warned that the poisoning represented "the unlawful use of force by Russia against the United Kingdom".
She also confirmed that no ministers or members of the Royal Family will attend this summer's World Cup in Russia - but stopped short of calling on the England team to pull out of the tournament.
Putin's officials responded with fury, saying Britain's tough response was "unacceptable, unjustified and shortsighted" and describing it as a "provocation".
A statement released by the Russian embassy in the capital crowed: "Obviously, by investigating this incident in a unilateral, non-transparent way, the British Government is again seeking to launch a groundless anti-Russian campaign.
What we know so far:
- Jeremy Corbyn was branded Vladimir Putin's puppet after refusing to accept Russia was behind the nerve agent attack.
- Theresa May announced she would kick out 23 diplomats in the wake of the Sergei Skripal case.
- The Russian Embassy has responded by calling the expulsion 'unacceptable, unjustified and shortsighted' - and said 'response measures will not be long in coming'.
- The Prime Minister also confirmed government officials and members of the Royal family would not be attending the World Cup in Russia.
- Vladimir Putin ignored a deadline set by the PM to explain his involvement in the poisoning and instead warned Britain 'not to threaten a nuclear power'.
- Skripal's niece claimed that daughter Yulia could have been the real target of the nerve agent attack.
- CCTV footage emerged showing Skripal's last journey before the chemical attack.
- Russian exile Nikolai Glushkov was discovered dead with 'strangulation marks' on his neck on Monday night by daughter Natalia Glushkova in New Malden, South West London.
- Glushkov's daughter Natalia is believed to be in hiding after discovering her dad's dead body.
- The hunt for clues has now been extended 25 miles away to Gillingham, Dorset.
- Russian exiles have now been asked by cops to help identify a mystery couple aged between 35 and 40 seen close to Skripal and his daughter before they collapsed.
- Skripal and daughter Yulia remain in a critical condition in hospital after being exposed to the nerve agent in Salisbury on March 4.
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"Needless to say, our response measures will not be long in coming."
After Ms May announced the spy expulsion Jeremy Corbyn sparked anger when he suggested that Russia might NOT be behind the attack and compared the investigation to claims about Saddam Hussein's WMDs.
The PM also announced this afternoon:
- New laws to help Britain defend itself from all forms of hostile Russian activity
- Flights and goods from Russia will face extra checks to stop ill-gotten gains entering the UK
- All planned talks with Russian officials, including a visit from the foreign minister, are cancelled
- Assets belonging to Putin's government will be frozen to stop them being used for wrongdoing
- Suspected spies could be detained at Britain's borders like terrorists under new powers
- The UK's allies France, Germany and the US are in full support of her tough stance
The expulsion of 23 Russian spies is the toughest act of its kind for 30 years - and will almost certainly spark a tit-for-tat diplomatic war, with British diplomats likely to be kicked out of Moscow.
Mrs May told the House of Commons: "To those who seek to do us harm, our message is clear - you are not welcome here."
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Blasting Putin’s refusal to respond to her demand for an explanation, the PM said: “It was right to offer Russia the opportunity to provide an explanation.
“But their response has demonstrated complete disdain for the gravity of these events. They have provided no credible explanation that could suggest they lost control of their nerve agent.
“No explanation as to how this agent came to be used in the United Kingdom; no explanation as to why Russia has an undeclared chemical weapons programme in contravention of international law.
“Instead they have treated the use of a military grade nerve agent in Europe with sarcasm, contempt and defiance.
“There is no alternative conclusion other than that the Russian state was culpable for the attempted murder of Mr Skripal and his daughter - and for threatening the lives of other British citizens in Salisbury, including Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey.
“This represents an unlawful use of force by the Russian State against the United Kingdom.”
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Any Russian spies who try to re-enter Britain will now be stopped at the border in the same way as terror suspects, the PM said.
She announced that sanctions on human rights violators will be stepped up, and vowed to freeze the assets of the Russian regime if they are being used to meddle in the UK.
Mrs May added: “We will continue to bring all the capabilities of UK law enforcement to bear against serious criminals and corrupt elites. There is no place for these people - or their money - in our country.”
Foreign minister Sergei Lavrov, who was due to visit Britain shortly, has had his invitation withdrawn, she announced.
The PM said: “I continue to believe it is not in our national interest to break off all dialogue between the United Kingdom and the Russian Federation.
“But in the aftermath of this appalling act against our country, this relationship cannot be the same.”
And she warned Putin that Britain will not stand alone, revealing that Donald Trump, Emmanuel Macron and Angela Merkel have promised to present a united front against Russian atrocities.
Labour MP Chris Bryant blasts Russian ambassador and calls for PM to kick him out
And Nikki Haley, America's ambassador to the UN said: "Let me make one thing clear from the very beginning, the United States stands in absolute solidarity with Great Britain.
"The United States believes that Russia is responsible for the attack on two people in the United Kingdom using a military-grade nerve agent. Dozens of civilians and first responders were also exposed.
"No two nations enjoy a stronger bond than that of the United States and the United Kingdom. Ours is truly a special relationship.
"When our friends in Great Britain face a challenge, the United States will always be there for them. Always."
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But Jeremy Corbyn caused fury by immediately taking political potshots, as he brought up cuts to our diplomatic capability.
He also said he agreed with Russia that we should hand over a sample of the nerve agent used to them too.
The leftie Labour boss was heckled by Tory MPs as he suggested we should maintain a “robust dialogue” with Russia.
And he used his comments to snipe at Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, saying he was “demeaning” his office.
Mrs May lashed out at Labour for refusing to join together with the Government in a time of national crisis.
“They could have taken the opportunity to condemn the culpability of the Russian state,” she stormed.
And Mr Corbyn’s own MPs joined the anger as they pledged support for the Prime Minister’s actions.
But some Labour supporters claim the attack on Mr Skripal was a "false flag" designed to damage the party leader, The Sun revealed today.
The Russian embassy in London responded to Mrs May's statement with fury, saying: "We consider this hostile action as totally unacceptable, unjustified and shortsighted.
“All the responsibility for the deterioration of the Russia-UK relationship lies with the current political leadership of Britain."
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After today’s escalation of hostilities, Brits visiting Russia were warned they must avoid talking publically about politics in case they attract the regime’s attention.
The Foreign Office updated its travel advice for the country, telling tourists they could face “anti-British sentiment or harassment”.
Officials added: “You’re advised to remain vigilant, avoid any protests or demonstrations and avoid commenting publically on political developments.”
The Russian regime has refused to explain its role in the attempted hit - saying it will take at least ten days to respond to the PM's ultimatum.
And ambassador Alexander Yakovenko went further today, saying: "Everything done today is absolutely unacceptable and we consider this a provocation.
"The UK should follow international law. They have to present the request to the organisation and we are happy to consider this within the ten days.
"We believe this is a very serious provocation and of course we are not ready to talk."
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It has emerged that police are looking for a mysterious couple who may be witnesses to the attack on Mr Skripal and his daughter while the investigation has widened from Salisbury to Gillingham.
The PM set Russia a deadline of midnight last night to explain how nerve agent novichok came to be used in the brazen attack - but the regime responded by taunting Britain and boasting about its nuclear arsenal.
Mrs May held a meeting of the National Security Council this morning, before returning to the Commons to outline the next steps in the campaign to punish Russia for the assassination attempt.
Britain has also called for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council in a bid to hold the regime to account, while the UK's Nato allies pledged to stand firm alongside us.
This morning Sergei Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, made the bizarre claim that Russia hasn’t actually received a formal request for information from the UK.
He said Putin’s government would take ten days to respond once the official message is received.
Top Tory pushes PM to pull England out of the World Cup
A SENIOR Tory MP today vowed to lobby Theresa May to pull England out of this summer’s World Cup, which is being hosted by Russia.
Bernard Jenkin said taking part in the tournament would give Vladimir Putin a “propaganda coup” and blasted the “odious and poisonous” Russian leader.
He told BBC Radio 5 Live: “Nasty regimes like to host these big sporting events as a great sort of propaganda coup.
“It legitimises their regime... sport reaches way beyond politics, way beyond international policy as a tool of propaganda. We must spoil this tool for Putin on this occasion.”
Mr Jenkin compared Russia under Putin to apartheid-era South Africa, which was subject to a worldwide sporting boycott for decades.
The top Tory is the latest in a string of senior figures who have called on the England team to stay away from the World Cup in response to the spy poisoning scandal.
Others want Mrs May to push Fifa to take the tournament away from Russia entirely, or organise a boycott involving all Britain’s allies.
Today the PM confirmed that British officials and members of the Royal Family will stay away - but stopped short of a total boycott.
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As well as issuing a public ultimatum on Monday, Mrs May summoned the Russian ambassador to the Foreign Office, while Britain’s ambassador to Moscow held talks with Putin officials this week.
Alexei Navalny, Russia’s most popular opposition leader, said the best way to show Putin Britain is serious about action would be to target wealthy Russians who are now based in London.
He singled out Roman Abramovich, the owner of Chelsea, and Alisher Usmanov, who has a 30 per cent stake in Arsenal, as well as Putin’s deputy PM Igor Shuvalov, who owns a luxury flat in the capital.
Mr Navalny : “The unpleasant scenario for Putin would be if the English finally chuck out from their country dozens of our officials and oligarchs with their families and money.
“And here there are three key surnames - Abramovich, Usmanov and Shuvalov.”
Mr Abramovich, 51, was governor of a Russian province before moving to London when he bought Chelsea in 2003, turning the team into a major European force.
Mr Usmanov, 64, is the second largest shareholder in Arsenal and one of the wealthiest people in the UK.
PM Theresa May confirms that Russia is 'highly likely' to have carried out the attack on former spy Sergei Skripal in Salisbury using military-grade nerve agent
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Mr Navalny dismissed suggestions of boycotting the World Cup and banning Kremlin TV channel RT, claiming both would play into Putin’s hands by making Britain seem illiberal.
On Monday, Mrs May announced that tests on the nerve agent used to poison Mr Skripal and his daughter Yulia - who remain gravely ill in hospital - proved it was the rare substance novichok, made in a Russian state lab.
She told Putin he had until midnight last night to explain how the poison came to be deployed in Britain last week.
But yesterday Russian officials claimed they couldn’t respond without being allowed to analyse samples of the substance themselves.
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The foreign minister’s spokesman pointed out that Russia is a nuclear-armed power, hinting at a vicious retaliation against new sanctions from the West.
Britain’s allies have been quick to stand united against the Russian threat, with Donald Trump telling the PM he is with the UK “all the way”.
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Overnight, leaders from Poland and Australia joined their voices to the chorus of support for Britain, raising the chances of a co-ordinated global response to Russia’s atrocities.
And Donald Tusk, president of the European Council, vowed to debate the issue at a meeting of all EU leaders next week.
He tweeted today: "I express my full solidarity with PM @theresa_may in the face of the brutal attack inspired, most likely, by Moscow."
Theresa May's Commons statement in full
With permission, Mr Speaker, I would like to make a Statement on the response of the Russian government to the incident in Salisbury.
First, on behalf of the whole House, let me pay tribute once again to the bravery and professionalism of all the emergency services, doctors, nurses and investigation teams who have led the response to this appalling incident.
And also to the fortitude of the people of Salisbury. Let me reassure them that – as Public Health England have made clear – the ongoing risk to public health is low. And the Government will continue to do everything possible to support this historic city to recover fully.
Mr Speaker, on Monday I set out that Mr Skripal and his daughter were poisoned with a Novichok: a military grade nerve agent developed by Russia.
Based on this capability, combined with their record of conducting state sponsored assassinations – including against former intelligence officers whom they regard as legitimate targets - the UK Government concluded it was highly likely that Russia was responsible for this reckless and despicable act.
And there were only two plausible explanations.
Either this was a direct act by the Russian State against our country.
Or conceivably, the Russian government could have lost control of a military-grade nerve agent and allowed it to get into the hands of others.
Mr Speaker, it was right to offer Russia the opportunity to provide an explanation.
But their response has demonstrated complete disdain for the gravity of these events.
They have provided no credible explanation that could suggest they lost control of their nerve agent.
No explanation as to how this agent came to be used in the United Kingdom; no explanation as to why Russia has an undeclared chemical weapons programme in contravention of international law.
Instead they have treated the use of a military grade nerve agent in Europe with sarcasm, contempt and defiance.
So Mr Speaker, there is no alternative conclusion other than that the Russian State was culpable for the attempted murder of Mr Skripal and his daughter - and for threatening the lives of other British citizens in Salisbury, including Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey.
This represents an unlawful use of force by the Russian State against the United Kingdom.
And as I set out on Monday it has taken place against the backdrop of a well-established pattern of Russian State aggression across Europe and beyond.
It must therefore be met with a full and robust response - beyond the actions we have already taken since the murder of Mr Litvinenko and to counter this pattern of Russian aggression elsewhere.
As the discussion in this House on Monday made clear, it is essential that we now come together – with our allies - to defend our security, to stand up for our values and to send a clear message to those who would seek to undermine them.
This morning I chaired a further meeting of the National Security Council, where we agreed…
…immediate actions to dismantle the Russian espionage network in the UK…
…urgent work to develop new powers to tackle all forms of hostile state activity and to ensure that those seeking to carry out such activity cannot enter the UK…
…and additional steps to suspend all planned high-level contacts between the United Kingdom and the Russian Federation.
Let me start with the immediate actions.
Mr Speaker, the House will recall that following the murder of Mr Litvinenko, the UK expelled four diplomats.
Under the Vienna Convention, the United Kingdom will now expel 23 Russian diplomats who have been identified as undeclared intelligence officers.
They have just one week to leave.
This will be the single biggest expulsion for over thirty years and it reflects the fact that this is not the first time that the Russian State has acted against our country.
Through these expulsions we will fundamentally degrade Russian intelligence capability in the UK for years to come. And if they seek to rebuild it, we will prevent them from doing so.
Second, we will urgently develop proposals for new legislative powers to harden our defences against all forms of Hostile State Activity.
This will include the addition of a targeted power to detain those suspected of Hostile State Activity at the UK border. This power is currently only permitted in relation to those suspected of terrorism.
And I have asked the Home Secretary to consider whether there is a need for new counter-espionage powers to clamp down on the full spectrum of hostile activities of foreign agents in our country.
Mr Speaker, as I set out on Monday we will also table a Government amendment to the Sanctions Bill to strengthen our powers to impose sanctions in response to the violation of human rights.
In doing so, we will play our part in an international effort to punish those responsible for the sorts of abuses suffered by Sergey Magnitsky
And I hope – as with all the measures I am setting out today – that this will command cross-party support.
Mr Speaker, we will also make full use of existing powers to enhance our efforts to monitor and track the intentions of those travelling to the UK who could be engaged in activity that threatens the security of the UK and of our allies.
So we will increase checks on private flights, customs and freight.
We will freeze Russian State assets wherever we have the evidence that they may be used to threaten the life or property of UK nationals or residents.
And led by the National Crime Agency, we will continue to bring all the capabilities of UK law enforcement to bear against serious criminals and corrupt elites. There is no place for these people – or their money - in our country.
Mr Speaker, let me be clear.
While our response must be robust it must also remain true to our values – as a liberal democracy that believes in the rule of law.
Many Russians have made this country their home, abide by our laws and make an important contribution to our country which we must continue to welcome.
But to those who seek to do us harm, my message is simple: you are not welcome here.
Mr Speaker, let me turn to our bi-lateral relationship.
As I said on Monday, we have had a very simple approach to Russia: Engage but beware.
And I continue to believe it is not in our national interest to break off all dialogue between the United Kingdom and the Russian Federation.
But in the aftermath of this appalling act against our country, this relationship cannot be the same.
So we will suspend all planned high level bi-lateral contacts between the United Kingdom and the Russian Federation.
This includes revoking the invitation to Foreign Minister Lavrov to pay a reciprocal visit to the United Kingdom...
…and confirming there will be no attendance by Ministers - or indeed Members of the Royal Family - at this Summer’s World Cup in Russia.
Finally, Mr Speaker, we will deploy a range of tools from across the full breadth of our National Security apparatus in order to counter the threats of Hostile State Activity.
While I have set out some of those measures today, Members on all sides will understand that there are some that cannot be shared publicly for reasons of National Security.
And, of course, there are other measures we stand ready to deploy at any time, should we face further Russian provocation.
Mr Speaker, none of the actions we take are intended to damage legitimate activity or prevent contacts between our populations.
We have no disagreement with the people of Russia who have been responsible for so many great achievements throughout their history.
Many of us looked at a post-Soviet Russia with hope. We wanted a better relationship and it is tragic that President Putin has chosen to act in this way.
But we will not tolerate the threat to life of British people and others on British soil from the Russian Government. Nor will we tolerate such a flagrant breach of Russia’s international obligations.
Mr Speaker, as I set out on Monday, the United Kingdom does not stand alone in confronting Russian aggression.
In the last twenty-four hours I have spoken to President Trump, Chancellor Merkel and President Macron.
We have agreed to co-operate closely in responding to this barbaric act and to co-ordinate our efforts to stand up for the rules based international order which Russia seeks to undermine.
I will also speak to other allies and partners in the coming days.
And I welcome the strong expressions of support from NATO and from partners across the European Union and beyond.
Later today in New York, the UN Security Council will hold open consultations where we will be pushing for a robust international response.
We have also notified the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons about Russia’s use of this nerve agent. And we are working with the police to enable the OPCW to independently verify our analysis.
Mr Speaker, this was not just an act of attempted murder in Salisbury – nor just an act against UK.
It is an affront to the prohibition on the use of chemical weapons.
And it is an affront to the rules based system on which we and our international partners depend.
We will work with our allies and partners to confront such actions wherever they threaten our security, at home and abroad.
And I commend this Statement to the House.
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