The Latest on the UK - Russian Spy Scandal

In response to the UK Prime Minister’s expulsion of 23 Russian diplomats, the leader of the opposition Labour party, Jeremy Corbyn, has voiced his concern that they are “rushing way ahead of the evidence.” 

He used an article in The Guardian to urge Mrs. May to take a “calm, measured” approach, in order to prevent a “new cold war” with Russia. 

Mr. Corbyn reiterated his concerns on Thursday. “This horrific event demands, first of all, the most thorough and painstaking criminal investigation, conducted by our police and security services,” he said. 

“To rush way ahead of the evidence being gathered by the police, in a fevered parliamentary atmosphere, serves neither justice nor our national security.” 

“Labour is of course no supporter of the Putin regime, its conservative authoritarianism, abuse of human rights or political and economic corruption,” he said. 

“However, that does not mean we should resign ourselves to a ‘new cold war’ of escalating arms spending, proxy conflicts across the globe and a McCarthyite intolerance of dissent.” 

He backed Mrs. May’s decision to expel the 23 diplomats, but suggested a financial crackdown on Russian oligarchs would be a better course of action. 

Moscow has vowed a quick response to this. Vladamir Putin has said that he will make a final decision, and that it “won’t take long.” 

The action was described as Russia’s Foreign Ministry as “insane.” 

On Thursday, the UK was officially backed by the US, France and Germany in a joint statement, condemning the "first offensive use of a nerve agent in Europe since the Second World War". 

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in Moscow that Russia would "definitely" expel UK diplomats "soon". But he added that Russia would inform British authorities before the media; "This is how gentlemen behave," he said. 

By Tom Day

Image source: uk.businessinsider.com 

The story so far: http://georgiatoday.ge/news/9490/One-Dead%2C-One-Poisoned-%26-23-Exiled%3A-The-Russian-Spy-Scandal-So-Far