Get tough on Russia

FEW will be surprised that two Russians have been named as the suspects behind the Salisbury Novichok attacks.

But it is chilling to watch the CCTV footage of Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov and know these are GRU henchman almost certainly acting on Vladimir Putin’s orders.

They carried out the task with cold-blooded nonchalance, showing the disdain with which Russia treats another sovereign state.

Putin is now trying export to the streets of Britain the thuggery and intimidation he has long used as levers of power.

This latest development shows why we were right to expel several Russian diplomats and tighten sanctions against the country.

The Government must maintain the international coalition against Russian aggression. Britain will today press the case for further action at a meeting of the UN security council.

We should also do more on a domestic front. For all Theresa May’s tough talk, the Tories have continued to accept lucrative donations from Russian oligarchs with links to Putin.

We could start with the Russian money swirling around our financial system.