So a foreign nation trying to poison people on British soil using a deadly nerve agent is "a distraction from Brexit"?
Bore off.
To play Devil's advocate, the timing by whoever is responsible works out very well for May. Some nationalistic chest-thumping and a convenient (foreign) boogeyman for the people of Britain to unite against... That's helpful to her in the short term at the very least. Brexit was divisive, Us vs. Them wasn't working so well when some of Us never wanted to leave Them. So now it's a new enemy, Russia and it's an easier sell for sure.
All hypothetical obviously, not say this is 100% true but bears consideration.
Not all that new obviously, in fact not at all new but never mind. The bears - are they Russian?
I see Trump hasn't even mentioned the incident when discussing points with Putin yesterday, Merkel has even congratulated Putin on winning the election. Meantime, no further actual actions against Russia other than a few diplomats being sent home. And now Corbyn is definitely being mentioned when it comes to discussions about Russia, much more than Putin.
Had this been done properly with the eye to building an international consensus and a desire to impose sanctions that hurt but not unilaterally where they are less effective- which by the way is what Corbyn's position always has been, even though another position has been portrayed and fed to people by the press - then Russia would be under far more pressure.
I am typing this with a wry smile as I see how the people of this country have been played by the people who play tennis with Putin's mates and benefit financially from them. They will continue to do this which makes this all the more laughable.
@MuttleyCAFC . You seem to be arguing that failing to send a sample to Russia is an infringement of an established process in respect of chemical weapons. Could you please post your source for this? I am no expert on such a matter. However I would have thought it more likely that an independent inquiry establishes its facts and then invites the suspect country to come and give its defence to the charges.
You say that you know what Russia is like. I am sorry to say that I am not sure you know the half of it; so quick were you to brush @sm away that you failed to notice his credentials re Russia which should command instant respect on here. At the risk of you screaming the house down, please consider this evidence of what happens when the world tries to get Russia to join in due process re sport doping. It is absolutely typical.
You are bogged down with the sample to Russia -not me - it is just a meaningless thing you should do as part of a process to me. I wouldn't pay any attention to what they come back with or rely on it in any way.
And your second para is ridiculous - in fact insulting - I didn't brush him away about what he was saying - just him attacking Corbyn for wanting this done properly - the mistake your blinkers give you is you think I have been defending Russia. I am sure Sm knows far more about the detail than me of how bad Putin is, but I am aware that he is a monster and thoroughly unpleasant which is enough I would say seeing as I have not defended him in any way.
I like Corbyn didn't think it was right to invade Iraq. Now I knew Hussein was a very nasty man, but does that allow an expert in how nasty he was, somebody who knew much more than me about how nasty he was could then say I am wrong. But I haven't been saying we shouldn't do anything - we should do this properly to a proper pragmatic process, bearing in mind Russia is not a country that is easy to push around. You get consensus and dot the i s and cross the t s. You build international consesus and try to achieve international action - You may have missed Merkel congratulating Putin the other day - and Trump not even mentioning the poisoning so that has worked out as I have said. Still the Russians are suffering from our actions - oh wait a minute what actually have our actions been? Corbyn's Labour were proposing something that would be far more annoying to Putin before this happened and it got voted down by the Tories. You want to be played in this feeding frenzy that actually will let them off the hook - you do so.
As if the England fans heading for the World Cup aren't going to have enough trouble, Johnson has to take it to another level. I think He wants to seen as a modern day Churchill. He is not only a deluded, but extremely dangerous, asshole.
As if the England fans heading for the World Cup aren't going to have enough trouble, Johnson has to take it to another level. I think He wants to seen as a modern day Churchill. He is not only a deluded, but extremely dangerous, asshole.
Those remarks were absolutely cretinous. And still some people call him "Boris", as if he is their mate, or mainly a HIGNIFY regular.
As if the England fans heading for the World Cup aren't going to have enough trouble, Johnson has to take it to another level. I think He wants to seen as a modern day Churchill. He is not only a deluded, but extremely dangerous, asshole.
As if the England fans heading for the World Cup aren't going to have enough trouble, Johnson has to take it to another level. I think He wants to seen as a modern day Churchill. He is not only a deluded, but extremely dangerous, asshole.
What on earth does this mean?
The Churchill Factor: How One Man Made History by Boris Johnson. Seems to me (at least) that he wouldn't mind emulating one of his heroes. Standing up to Putin the new Hitler. Or that's how he was coming across yesterday.
As if the England fans heading for the World Cup aren't going to have enough trouble, Johnson has to take it to another level. I think He wants to seen as a modern day Churchill. He is not only a deluded, but extremely dangerous, asshole.
What on earth does this mean?
The Churchill Factor: How One Man Made History by Boris Johnson. Seems to me (at least) that he wouldn't mind emulating one of his heroes. Standing up to Putin the new Hitler. Or that's how he was coming across yesterday.
Ironically Johnson is not fit to light Churchills cigar. It just shows you what Johnson thinks of himself. How on earth did he become a member of the cabinet, it just shows you how bad politicians have become.
I hear a lot about Russia doing a lot of their skullduggery via cyber crime and potential links with election fraud etc. Granted we can’t do much about meddling in their elections, but surely we must be on the offensive to dick them over by hacking into all sorts of stuff do with their government
Well Labour tried to put a stop to their money laundering not long ago which was thwarted by the Tories - they gave the usual excuses, we didn't like aspects of the bill, well re-write your own one then! You stop Putin's mates buying houses here, living the high life etc... here with their dirty money.
BBC The United States and its European allies are expelling dozens of Russian diplomats in a co-ordinated response to the poisoning of a former Russian spy in the UK.
US President Donald Trump has ordered 60 Russian diplomats to leave the country.
Germany, France, Ukraine, Canada and various European countries have also expelled envoys.
Russia has indicated it will respond proportionately
BBC The United States and its European allies are expelling dozens of Russian diplomats in a co-ordinated response to the poisoning of a former Russian spy in the UK.
US President Donald Trump has ordered 60 Russian diplomats to leave the country.
Germany, France, Ukraine, Canada and various European countries have also expelled envoys.
Russia has indicated it will respond proportionately
Includes 3 from the Czech Republic, one more than from the Netherlands, didn't expect that, tbh, given the populist senile President we just voted back in. My wife will probably go to the airport to wave them off.
You have to believe and certainly hope that the UK has shared far more with other countries than is in the public domain, to get that level of support.
BBC The United States and its European allies are expelling dozens of Russian diplomats in a co-ordinated response to the poisoning of a former Russian spy in the UK.
US President Donald Trump has ordered 60 Russian diplomats to leave the country.
Germany, France, Ukraine, Canada and various European countries have also expelled envoys.
Russia has indicated it will respond proportionately
Includes 3 from the Czech Republic, one more than from the Netherlands, didn't expect that, tbh, given the populist senile President we just voted back in. My wife will probably go to the airport to wave them off.
You have to believe and certainly hope that the UK has shared far more with other countries than is in the public domain, to get that level of support.
You would have to assume so. I also think it's been used by the UK as a sharp reminder to the EU of the value of British intelligence post Brexit.
BBC The United States and its European allies are expelling dozens of Russian diplomats in a co-ordinated response to the poisoning of a former Russian spy in the UK.
US President Donald Trump has ordered 60 Russian diplomats to leave the country.
Germany, France, Ukraine, Canada and various European countries have also expelled envoys.
Russia has indicated it will respond proportionately
President of the European Council Donald Tusk said the EU states had decided to expel Russian diplomats as a direct result of a meeting, held last week about the Salisbury poisoning.
"Additional measures, including further expulsions within this common EU framework are not to be excluded in the coming days and weeks," he said
The US state department said in a statement: "On March 4, Russia used a military-grade nerve agent to attempt to murder a British citizen and his daughter in Salisbury. "This attack on our Ally the United Kingdom put countless innocent lives at risk and resulted in serious injury to three people, including a police officer." It called the attack an "outrageous violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention and breach of international law".
I wonder what has driven Trump's sudden, dramatic, statesmanlike action here? Perhaps Mrs May should publicly thank Stormy Daniels in the Commons?
I'm no weather expert but wasn't stormy Daniels the storm after Caroline and before storm Emma, and if caught outdoors in stormy Daniels you would have the life sucked out of you but die with a smile on your face ?
Is that it? So a few diplomats have been sent home. What about some real biting reaction. The truth is that a more biting reaction was put forward by Labour and to be fair some decent Tories like Ken Clarke, before this even happened but was voted down by the government. Why not bring in a Magnitsky act now?
That is good news, I understood that they would be brain damaged. I hope that isn't the case here and she can lead as normal a life as possible. She also may be able to fill in some missing pieces. The poisoning seems to have taken place at Skripal's home - maybe she can shed light on that. If she was expected not to live, did the attempted murderer knock on their door?
Comments
Hate kay burley
Needs to be retired to an OAP home for news readers or be on loose women
Twats.
Had this been done properly with the eye to building an international consensus and a desire to impose sanctions that hurt but not unilaterally where they are less effective- which by the way is what Corbyn's position always has been, even though another position has been portrayed and fed to people by the press - then Russia would be under far more pressure.
I am typing this with a wry smile as I see how the people of this country have been played by the people who play tennis with Putin's mates and benefit financially from them. They will continue to do this which makes this all the more laughable.
You say that you know what Russia is like. I am sorry to say that I am not sure you know the half of it; so quick were you to brush @sm away that you failed to notice his credentials re Russia which should command instant respect on here. At the risk of you screaming the house down, please consider this evidence of what happens when the world tries to get Russia to join in due process re sport doping. It is absolutely typical.
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/mar/21/russia-ignored-four-attempts-wada-doping-ban-craig-reedie?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
And your second para is ridiculous - in fact insulting - I didn't brush him away about what he was saying - just him attacking Corbyn for wanting this done properly - the mistake your blinkers give you is you think I have been defending Russia. I am sure Sm knows far more about the detail than me of how bad Putin is, but I am aware that he is a monster and thoroughly unpleasant which is enough I would say seeing as I have not defended him in any way.
Good to see the action being taken by various allies in throwing out Russian Diplomats today. Particularly Mr Trump!
The United States and its European allies are expelling dozens of Russian diplomats in a co-ordinated response to the poisoning of a former Russian spy in the UK.
US President Donald Trump has ordered 60 Russian diplomats to leave the country.
Germany, France, Ukraine, Canada and various European countries have also expelled envoys.
Russia has indicated it will respond proportionately
You have to believe and certainly hope that the UK has shared far more with other countries than is in the public domain, to get that level of support.
"Additional measures, including further expulsions within this common EU framework are not to be excluded in the coming days and weeks," he said
The US state department said in a statement: "On March 4, Russia used a military-grade nerve agent to attempt to murder a British citizen and his daughter in Salisbury.
"This attack on our Ally the United Kingdom put countless innocent lives at risk and resulted in serious injury to three people, including a police officer."
It called the attack an "outrageous violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention and breach of international law".