Opposition leader under fire for quizzing PM in responses to spy poisoning

LONDON, March 16 (Xinhua) — British Prime Minister Theresa May expelled 23
Russian diplomats from Britain Wednesday as a reaction to the nerve agent
poisoning of a former Russian spy and his daughter.

While there was praise in the House of Commons for May’s stance, the leader
of the main opposition Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn, faced criticism from
MPs for questioning the government’s response. May told MPs in a statement
that the British response came after the Russian government failed to meet
a deadline to give details to London of the nerve agent.  The Russian
government has strongly denied any involvement in the attack earlier this
month which has left Russia-born Sergei Skripal, 66, and his daughter
Yulia, 33, in a critical condition in hospital after being exposed to the
nerve agent in the southern England city of Salisbury.  Corbyn asked May if
she had taken the necessary steps under the chemical weapons convention to
make a formal request for evidence from the Russian government, and how she
responded to the Russian government’s request for a sample of the agent
used in the Salisbury attack to run their own tests.  Corbyn also asked:
“Has high-resolution trace analysis been run on a sample of the nerve
agent, and has that revealed any evidence as to the location of its
production or the identity of its perpetrators?”

In London the Independent newspaper reported that Corbyn’s official
spokesman fleshed out the Labour leader’s position, effectively saying
Corbyn does not yet believe he has seen enough evidence to point the finger
of blame at the Russian state in the way that May did in her House of
Commons statement. The newspaper added that Corbyn’s spokesman cast
aspersions on evidence that are there reasons to be suspicious over
intelligence evidence presented to the public, citing Iraq and WMDs. “He
(the spokesman) also repeated a theory which has been promoted by the
Russian state; that after the break-up of the Soviet Union, military
hardware made its way into the hands of various different groups and that
might explain the Salisbury incident,” added the Independent.

The Guardian newspaper reported that France said it wanted firm proof of
Russian involvement in the nerve-toxin poisoning before it took any action
in solidarity with the British government.  French government spokesman
Benjamin Griveaux said Wednesday it was too early for Paris to decide
whether action should be taken.  Griveaux told a news conference: “We don’t
do fantasy politics. Once the elements are proven, then the time will come
for decisions to be made.”

The Russian Embassy in London said its ambassador to Britain Alexander
Yakovenko was summoned to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office where he was
informed that 23 diplomats were declared personae non grata.The embassy
said in a statement: “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.”

The Russia government said it had no motive in the attempted murder of the
pair in Salisbury and has consistently denied involvement in the incident.
In an interview with British broadcaster Sky, Yakovenko said what the UK
government was doing was “absolutely unacceptable” and that it should refer
the matter to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons
(OPCW).  He added: “We consider these measures made by the British
government absolutely unacceptable, and I’ll tell you why. We believe
Britain should follow international law.  “Under obligations under the
Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, if they have any
suspicions on nerve gas or something like that, they have to make an
application to the organisation and make a request. And, so far, we did not
get any samples.”

Yakovenko told Sky News there will be expulsions by his government, adding:
“As you understand in diplomatic practice, there will be answers from the
Russian side. In diplomacy, there is always reciprocity.”   The Rusian
embassy in London also published a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry
saying: “The statement made by British Prime Minister Theresa May in
Parliament on measures to ‘punish’ Russia, under the false pretext of its
alleged involvement in the poisoning of Sergey Skripal and his daughter,
constitutes an unprecedented, flagrant provocation that undermines the
foundations of normal dialogue between our countries.”  May said Britain
will not break off diplomatic relations with Russia, but all high level
bilateral contact will be cancelled. She said no government ministers or
members of the Royal family will attend the World Cup being hosted by
Russia.