UK Russia nerve agent attack: Theresa May to expel 23 Russian 'spies' after attempted murder of Sergei Skripal

Theresa May today expelled 23 Russian diplomats, said Royal Family members will boycott the World Cup and targeted Vladimir Putin’s allies with punitive financial sanctions in retaliation for the Salisbury nerve agent attack.

In a Commons statement, she branded as “reckless and despicable” the first known use of such a weapon on European soil and said there was “no alternative conclusion other than that the Russian state was culpable”.

While Mr Putin’s officials continued to deny their country’s guilt over the attack on former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Mrs May said Russia had failed to meet the midnight deadline she set for an explanation of how the Novichok nerve agent came to be used in the Wiltshire city.

She repeated her charge that Russia must have either deployed the toxin or lost control of its Cold War supplies.

Commons address: Theresa May
Getty Images

She 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 the Russian state was culpable for the attempted murder of Mr Skripal and his daughter and the threat to the lives of other British citizens.”

Vladimir Putin has declined to discuss the Salisbury poisoning
EPA

The Security Service believes that the 23 diplomats based in the UK are spies. The expulsions would “fundamentally degrade” Russian espionage in the UK, said Mrs May.

They have one week to leave in what will be the single biggest expulsion for over 30 years. All planned high-level bilateral contact between UK and Russia is suspended.

This includes the revocation of an invitation for the Russian foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, to visit the UK.

The police and MI5 will target “serious criminals and corrupt elites”, the Prime Minister said. “There is no place for these people or their money in our country,” she added.

In addition, there will be “no attendance by ministers or indeed members of the Royal Family at this summer’s World Cup in Russia”.

Military personnel wearing protective coveralls carry out their work in Salisbury
AFP

Furthermore, there will be a freeze on Russian state assets when evidence shows that they may be used to threaten the lives or property of UK citizens or residents.

Mrs May also announced urgent work to develop powers to tackle hostile state activity.

This will include steps to prevent suspected assassins from entering the UK.

She said: “It’s 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.”

Mrs May also said she had asked the Home Secretary, Amber Rudd, to consider the need for new counter-espionage powers to “clamp down on the full spectrum of hostile activities of foreign agents in our country”.

Responding to Mrs May, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said the attack in Salisbury was an “appalling act of violence” and called for a response that was “decisive and proportionate and based on clear evidence”.

Military personnel in protective clothing remove vehicles from a car park in Salisbury
EPA

However, he was barracked when he asked Mrs May how she had responded to requests from the Kremlin for a sample of the nerve agent so that it could run its own tests.

He also said it was “essential to maintain a robust dialogue with Russia”. Tories shouted: “Shame.”

Minutes before Mrs May stood up, the Russian ambassador, Alexander Yakovenko, was summoned to the Foreign Office to be told of the measures. When he left, he told Sky News: “I said everything what is done today by the British government is absolutely unacceptable and we consider this a provocation.”

He said the UK should “follow international law” and under the rules of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons “they have to present a request to the organisation and then we are happy to consider this within 10 days”.

Police cordoned off the memorial stone of Mr Skripal's son
PA

World leaders have offered Britain support. US president Donald Trump said: “It sounds to me like they believe it is Russia and I would certainly take that finding as fact.”

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said: “Russia must provide quick answers to the legitimate questions posed by the British government.”

The French president, Emmanuel Macron, said in a joint statement with Mrs May that “it is important to continue to act in concert with allies” to address “the wide pattern of aggressive Russian behaviour”.

There were moves to put sanctions on the agenda of international organisations. The European Union said the “brutal attack” could be discussed at next week’s Brussels summit of the 28 leaders. The Foreign Office asked for an urgent meeting of the United Nations Security Council.

Army vehicles near Salisbury District Hospital
Getty Images

Nato, which has 29 members including America, France and Germany, said the attack was “a clear breach of international norms and agreements”.

Moscow pre-empted the statement by deploying Mr Lavrov to scorn the allegations. He dismissed “those who want to press their Russophobic campaign in all spheres of life”.

Before Mrs May made her statement, Cabinet minister Sajid Javid accused Russia directly. He referred to the attack as “a brazen attempt by Russia to murder civilians on British soil”, adding: “It’s obviously completely unacceptable.”

Prior to Mrs May’s statement, Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell opposed suggestions that Britain might boycott the World Cup or shut the Russian TV station RT.

He said “hitting them in the pockets” would be more effective. On the World Cup, he said “I’m more in favour of our fans going and mixing with Russian people”. On RT he said: “If they in any way do not abide by Ofcom’s rules obviously action should be taken, but I don’t think politicians should get involved in any form of censorship.”

Mr Skripal, 66, was convicted in 2004 in Russia for spying for MI6 and released in 2010 as part of a spy swap. He and Yulia, 33, were found collapsed on a bench in the Wiltshire city on March 4 and remain critically ill.

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