Have we got it right about Russian spy poisoning?

hAVING released Sergei Skripal from prison, the Russian government granted him a pardon. Why would it then wish to murder him? If, for some obscure reason, the Russians did want him dead, are there not at least a dozen easier ways of arranging his death rather than by using a nerve agent developed by your own government? According to Vil Mirzayanov, the scientist who worked in the laboratory where the nerve agent was produced, it can be produced from common unrestricted and undetectable industrial and agricultural chemicals available worldwide. It appears, therefore, that many countries could develop it. Jumping to conclusions and pointing a finger before thinking through the problem is not a wise thing to do. The police have been told it was a nerve agent, but they do not yet know how it was administered for sure, who administered it or why. Much more investigation is needed before a finger is pointed.

JoHN WARREN, Wolverhampton.

If OUR allies, fellow Nato members and all other countries who have participated in the banning of war-grade nerve agents are earnest in their support of the UK’s action, then surely each should be expelling from their countries all of those Russian ‘diplomats’ readily identified as spies. Furthermore, any decision to withhold England’s participation in the World Cup, which is due to take place this summer in Russia, should similarly be backed up by other countries rightly disturbed by the availability of these horrendous weapons contrary to international agreement.

DoNALD CoLEMAN, Eynsham, oxon. CORBYN wants Russia to carry out its own tests on the nerve agent employed in Salisbury. Would it be using the same trustworthy laboratory in which it carries out its sport drugs tests? MICHAEL TARRANT, Welling, Kent.