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Updated at 1.20pm
RUSSIA’S EXPULSION OF 23 British diplomats “doesn’t change the facts of the matter” of the poisoning of a former double agent in an English city, Prime Minister Theresa May has said.
Russia was “in flagrant breach of international law,” she told her Conservative Party’s spring forum, adding that Britain “will consider our next steps in the coming days”.
“Russia’s response doesn’t change the facts of the matter – the attempted assassination of two people on British soil, for which there is no alternative conclusion other than that the Russian State was culpable,” she said.
May blames Russia for the nerve agent attack on former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in the English city of Salisbury on 4 March, which has left them both fighting for their lives.
She warned that Britain “will never tolerate a threat to the life of British citizens and others on British soil from the Russian government”.
But she said Britain had “no disagreement with the Russian people”.
Earlier this week, Britain announced the expulsion of 23 Russian diplomats and suspension of high-level contacts over the poisoning.
Moscow responded today by expelling 23 British diplomats from Moscow in a tit-for-tat measure.
“Twenty three diplomatic staff at the British embassy in Moscow are declared persona non grata and to be expelled within a week,” the foreign ministry said in a statement after summoning the British ambassador Laurie Bristow.
It would also halt activities of the British Council across the country, it said.
“Due to the unregulated status of the British Council in Russia, its activity is halted,” the foreign ministry said in a statement referring to Britain’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities.
It also said it would halt the activities of the British Council, the country’s international organisation for cultural relations, in Russia.
“We are profoundly disappointed at this development,” the British Council said in a statement.
It is our view that when political or diplomatic relations become difficult, cultural relations and educational opportunities are vital to maintain on-going dialogue between people and institutions.
Britain said it had “anticipated a response of this kind” and that its National Security Council would meet early next week to consider its “next steps”.
Relations between the two countries have deteriorated rapidly in the 10 days since ex-spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were attacked with a nerve agent in Salisbury, south-west England.
May said earlier this week that Russia was “culpable” for the attack, either directly or because Moscow had “lost control” of the nerve agent.
On Wednesday Britain said it would “suspend all high-level bilateral contact” with Russia, and expel 23 Russian diplomats, suspected of being spies, out of the UK.
No British royals or ministers will attend the World Cup in Russia, May told the House of Commons.
The US, France and Germany have all supported the UK’s decision to take action against the first use of a nerve agent in Europe since the Second World War.
- with reporting from Gráinne Ní Aodha
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Very sad. Young woman, may heaven be her bed. RIP.
That is so sad, another person taken well before their time by this horrible disease.
RIP put up a great fight. Will they ever find a cure for this
@Derek O Gorman: Rest in peace Shannon may you find peace now. To answer your question I doubt there’ll ever be a cure too many plarma companies making billions on R&D and medications it’s like diabetes there’ll never be a cure.
@Nemethon: Do pharma companies make billions on R&D?
@Nemethon: The average R&D to marketplace cost for a new medicine is nearly €4 billion, and can sometimes exceed €10 billion. R&D spending by itself doesn’t guarantee profitability and strong stock performance. Some companies see a payoff from spending heavily on R&D when projects are deemed to be successful. On the other hand, companies can also suffer from poor performance losses even after investing a great deal of money each year in R&D
@ecrowley ecrowley: Not directly, but in Ireland R&D expenses are deducted from profit when calculating capital gains tax. And not only on R&D costs occuring in country, which is ridiculous. The large pharmas are not just here for the craic.
@Tommy Roche: Do you think they’re not spending money on R&D? If they’re not but availing of tax loopholes, that’d be unforgivable but without knowing that’s happening, we’re heading towards conspiracy theory territory.
@Nemethon: You mean it costs billions in R&D. There is a question as to how much profits are enough but it costs an awful lot to develop these drugs many of which don’t come to anything after hundreds of millions spent.
@Derek O Gorman: they have invented a smoking cessation product which prevents cancer, but governments want it banned
She found hard and long…time to rest now
May she rest in peace.
Rose to fame playing Brenda Walsh? She was already well known. Our House, Little House on the Praire etc. RIP
@Gerard Hayden: she was in little house on the praire? I used to watch that and never knew she was in it.
@Brian Dunne: yes was Laura ingles adopted daughter I think?
@Lilly Lalogue: ah ok, thanks Lilly!
@Brian Dunne: yea she played Jenny Wilder ;). She was also good in the film Heathers. May she R.J.P. cancer is an awful battle for anyone to go through bless her.
@Lilly Lalogue: no she was Laura’s niece :)
RIP. She really really fought back against that illness. Strong resilient person.
Rip poor young woman
Very sad. RiP Shannen
She is with God now
Rip i taught she died few weeks ago
@Square: what an a##hole you are
@Robert M: muted
@Square: Obviously not, don’t talk of cancer patients like that. She was a legend. I have great respect for her.
@Paul Treacy: im not talking bad i taught i heard she died few weeks ago i was wrong rip yes i watched her growing up
Shame a brilliant actress rip
Lord rest
She was a lovely woman and a great fighter. It’s so sad she died so young.
She was a notoriously difficult actor to work with but that doesn’t take away from her sad passing.
RIP her suffering is over
@Damien O’Sullivan: She had a reputation for being difficult because she stood up for herself and would not allow herself to be taken advantage of. Many women who followed her in the business admired her for how she stood. A woman like that is “difficult”. A man like that is “strong”!
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