Poisoned spy: Russia guilty, insists Boris
BORIS Johnson yesterday fiercely defended blaming Russia for the chemical weapon attack on a former spy after Moscow and Labour seized on apparent doubts.
The Foreign Secretary accused hard-Left Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn of “playing Russia’s game” by questioning his statements.
And security minister Ben Wallace stressed Britain had taken time to assess intelligence about the poisoning of Sergei Skripal and daughter Yulia before expelling diplomats.
The head of the Porton Down military facility said on Tuesday that it had identified the nerve agent used in Salisbury as military-grade Novichok but had not verified it was made in Russia, because that was not their job.
There was more controversy yesterday over the Foreign Office deleting a tweet saying Porton Down had sourced the Novichok to Russia – an error blamed on an inadvertently inaccurate account of what Britain’s ambassador to Moscow had said.
Mr Johnson was in the firing line for appearing to tell German TV that Porton Down was “absolutely categorical” to him that the substance was Russian.
Mr Corbyn said Mr Johnson had “serious questions to answer”, adding: “Where does that leave the Foreign Secretary? Egg on his face.”
Mr Johnson tweeted: “It is lamentable that Jeremy Corbyn is now playing Russia’s game and trying to discredit the UK over Salisbury attack.”
He said “key facts” included Porton Down naming the poison as Novichok.
Russia had investigated using nerve agents for assassination, stockpiled “small quantities” of Novichok and had “motive” to target Mr Skripal.
Mr Johnson concluded: “Twenty-eight other countries have No doubt, says Ben Wallace been so convinced by the UK case they have expelled Russians. In contrast, Jeremy Corbyn chooses to side with the Russian spin machine.” A Government spokesman said: “Russia is putting forward multiple versions of events and obfuscating the truth.” Mr Wallace said only Russia had developed and stockpiled Novichok. Yesterday Russian president Vladimir Putin said in Turkey: “We wait for the moment when, finally, common sense comes out victorious, and international relations stop receiving the damage that we are witnessing right now.” But at an emergency meeting of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, called in The Hague at Russia’s request, only six of 41 nations backed Moscow as UK allies reiterated their solidarity. Russia requested a UN Security Council meeting today. Moscow also said Viktoria Skripal, said to be Mr Skripal’s niece, wanted to visit her relatives in hospital to offer “support”. Britain’s intelligence agencies are reportedly investigating a Russian who was on the same flight into the UK as Yulia Skripal and returned to Moscow hours later.