FURY AT CORBYN’S ATTACK ON TORIES

Labour leader is branded a ‘disgrace’ in Commons

JEREMY Corbyn was branded a ‘disgrace’ last night for using the Russian poisoning scandal to attack the Tories.

The Labour leader warned that retaliatory action by Britain would lead only to ‘increased tensions’ with Russia.

He called instead for the Government to pursue a ‘robust dialogue’ with Moscow over the attack on a double agent living in Salisbury. He sparked uproar in the Commons when he used his response to Theresa May’s statement on the issue to take a swipe at the Tories over donations from individuals with Russian links.

Facing shouts of ‘shame’ and ‘disgrace’, Mr Corbyn told the Commons: ‘We’re all familiar with the way huge fortunes, often acquired in the most dubious circumstances in Russia, sometimes connected with criminal elements, have ended up sheltering in London and trying to buy political influence in British party politics.

‘Meddling in elections, as the Prime Minister put it, and there has been over £800,000 worth of donations to the Conservative Party from Russian oligarchs and their associates.

‘We need to continue seeking a robust dialogue with Russia on all the issues dividing our countries, both domestic and international – rather than simply cutting off contact and letting tensions and divisions get worse, and potentially even more dangerous.’

Commons Speaker John Bercow had to intervene to calm MPs. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith accused Mr Corbyn of playing ‘party politics’ on an issue of national security.

Moderate Labour MPs distanced themselves from their leader and stressed the need for Parliament to issue a united response to Russian aggression.

Former Labour minister Chris Leslie said: ‘There are certain circumstances, as Mrs May knows, where we have party political differences of opinion. But when our country is potentially under attack, that is just not appropriate.’

DUP MP Sammy Wilson suggested Mr Corbyn’s call for dialogue would encourage Vladimir Putin to ‘engage in further acts of state sponsored terror’.

Tom Tugendhat, Tory chairman of the Commons foreign affairs committee, said: ‘This, if not an act of war, was certainly a warlike act by the Russian Federation and this is not the first we’ve seen.

‘Some in this House have stayed silent and decided to join the information warfare that that state is conducting against us and our allies. We have seen them invade countries in the East, attack allies, attempt to kill prime ministers and even now they are backing the murderous Assad regime.’

Tory MP Johnny Mercer, who chairs the Commons defence committee, said Mr Corbyn’s intervention was ‘the most shameful moment’ he had seen in the Commons.

Labour MP John Woodcock drew cheers from the Tory benches after praising Mrs May’s response. He said: ‘The level of resilience voiced by the Prime Minister in the chamber today has been many years in coming but it is hugely welcome.

‘Indeed it would put our national security at significant risk if we were led by anyone who did not understand the gravity of the threat which Russia poses.’

Mrs May responded: ‘He is absolutely right it is imperative in this country we recognise the nature of the threat and the nature of the actions that Russia has taken.’

Labour’s Mike Gapes told MPs: ‘We’ve got to say resolutely and strongly, we are not backing down, this is an act of terrorism and all members of Parliament should stand together.’

Former Tory minister Nick Boles said: ‘Just imagine Jeremy Corbyn’s response if it were the USA that had tried to murder people by using nerve agent on British soil, not Russia. I don’t think he would be so mealy-mouthed then.’