We are to have the Scottish, Welsh and NI football teams completely boycotting the world cup in russia, while England will play just three games then retire early home.

Haaa, who's laughing now Mr Putin?

dusty

What if England win though (don't laugh)? Should the players shake hands with the dignatories who may or may not have been party to attempted murder right next to Porton Down (ehem).

can just see Putins sour face if England win

We should be sending as many ,diplomats, as we can out with the team
Think May has made a tactical error

lfc1971    14 Mar 18 17:25 
He is a small pale weak silly kind of fellow, maybe he will keel over


Are you referring to Putin ?

They couldn't blame Russia quick enough, they had Boris out almost immediately blaming them. Makes you wonder, because May has become judge, jury and executioner, no one is allowed to have an opposite argument point, Corbyn was almost lynched in parliament and he was coming out with some valid points, he's since backed down on facebook. its amazing how quickly they've got people whipped up into a frenzy with this.

"suspending all high level contact" she's basically took over and that's rich coming from someone who doesn't even have a majority to govern.

The governments sanctions mocked by some on chitvhat calling them petty whilst all the political pundits say it is a serious response.
I wonder who is right?
Good to see some Labour backbenchers criticise Corbyns comments and sign a motion in support of the governments stance.

Basically she's blamed them with zero proof and then demanded they respond. That's bully boy tactics.

Because I've not seen it with my own god given eyes that's why. Have you seen it? or are you just listening to what May says and believe everything she says?. Yet again the government says something and we're all supposed to buy it, despite zero evidence presented. we're governed through words.

But we haven't seen the evidence and neither have most of those "back benchers", only the top level officials have seen this "evidence". I wouldn't trust May anymore than Putin or Trump.

Sontaran... if you don't want to believe what the UK government says re the nerve agent being Russian that's your prerogative. But what evidence would actually satisfy you? Something like this, you're not going to get the evidence touring the country in a library van.

If, for argument's sake, you were personally provided with proof it was a Novichok agent, and then add into the mix it's a Russian former spy who seems to have been the target, would you agree that Russian involvement becomes odds-on?

My hunch is that that, once May got the nod that it was an odds-on shot, she "went public" with the Cleudo conclusion in order to "look strong". How would it look if the govt had sat quiet for another 10 days while Russia got the requested sample and responded? Media and public would call for a culprit. Therefore May's lumped-on with an ante-post bet believing it will either drop to 1.01 or be voided. The alternative in this scenario is that, having been told Novichok was involved, May & Co keep it quiet and pick up the phone to Moscow and politely ask if they've had any go missing. What do you think the response would be?   
 
You discount there being any Russian motive to do this, but - in the spirit of seeing evidence - where is the proof of that? He stepped off a plane from Moscow the day before he had the dodgy pizza. Who's to say he wasn't still wrapped up in the whole espionage palaver? Does someone with his background really settle down with a pipe and slippers? Is there really nothing left that he might "hold" over the Russians to give them a motive to bump him off? 

If it wasn't the Russians, then inside job (with perhaps help from elsewhere in getting the Novichok) is probably 2nd fav. You could string some reasons for motive together, but right now I'd be struggling to be satisfied with what passes for evidence (or rather logical conclusion) even more than if I was being asked to get on the Russians being behind it at 1.04.

Everyone joining in with the hysteria not wanting to be outdone in their disgust with russia/putin#

anyone remember Cook and Claire Short over the Iraq chemicals and subsequent war!!??

oh there was such an outcry was there not?

how did that one turn out?

the russian nerve agent was testable, and therefore must be known,
else we wouldnt have a test for it.

i think its highly likely that the russians done it, but its not a standard
of proof that we would use in criminal court,

there must be hours and hours of cctv to wade through, then the chemical trail...
maybe we could put together a decent case when the evidence is sorted



what about the guy who was strangled? are we bothered about that , or is that not
something we are going to blame on the russians, yet !



we dont know how active the spy and his daughter were, and might never be told,
if they were active and were passing info to us or others on the russians then
the odds of it being a russian hit would shorten for me, but we are not told, yet !

akabula is of course correct when he points out the politicians (some of) will have much
more info that us.

we can assume may knows more than she says, but she might not know everything, yet!

probably never be told, (some may find out) but the misinformation mongers will
be spinning already

we clearly are involved in spy games.

yes you are right May now seen as strong - lots of votes in this.#


There is NO EVIDENCE that putin sanctioned this dangerous chemical hit on the country.
The only link is a russian victim and the poison agent is manufactured in Moscow (we think)

A UK russian expert (a UK professor) has said as much and thinks May has jumped in too quickly and corbyn is right in what he said.

I would love to know what anyone gains out of this.  Putin is already immensely strong voting wise coz he is a vicious man who has eliminated his opposition ( yes I know I have said eliminated   ---- so he would kill a retired spy in the uk after having got everything drained out of him when caught, just as the uK would have savagely drained him of what he knew - so he is of little use)  The whole thing does not make sense.  Or was he working still for the UK  - but they will already know everything from his interrogations.

Apologies for going against the grain and the media frenzy.  All the CC intelligence agency on here know far better than me, as I am insane - or so I  have been told.

binary agent two parts or more kept separate and it is safe

combine together it becomes active

They applied it to the Korean geezer with two separate cloths.

Ok

So why would you use a nerve agent and not throw him off the 4th floor of a building in Marylebone as they did to a property developer / money launderer recently?

Why use a nerve agent tracked back to them? Is it like the Mafia hit men using a knife or garote?

Were they sending a message? What is the message?

I am not a conspiracy theorist or anything and don't have a view here but would like some informed information if any of you feel qualified to give it

if it was the russians, the message is they are ruthless