May to praise Western response to attack

Russia’s intelligence capability has been fundamentally degraded for years to come by the Western response to the nerve agent attack in Salisbury, Theresa May will say.

The prime minister will use a speech at the Lord Mayor’s Banquet in London today to praise international support after the UK blamed Moscow for the incident.

Mrs May will condemn what she brands

“the reckless use of a chemical weapon on our own streets” by Russia’s GRU intelligence service as she calls on Western powers to continue to stand together.

The PM will say: “Together with our allies, in response to the attack in Salisbury, we coordinated the largest ever collective expulsion of Russian intelligence officers, fundamentally degrading Russian intelligence capability for years to come.

“And our law enforcement agencies, through painstaking investigations and cooperation with our allies, produced the irrefutable evidence that enabled our Crown Prosecution Service to bring charges.”

May will also name one of the eight planned Royal Navy Type 26 frigates as HMS London.