Pressure mounts on Jeremy Corbyn as top Labour MPs launch rebellion over his claims Russia may NOT be behind spy poison scandal
JEREMY Corbyn was plunged into a fresh crisis tonight after he doubted British intelligence that Sergei Skripal was poisoned by Russia.
Furious Labour backbenchers are gathering support for their own statement condemning Russia after their leader's spokesperson said he didn't think there was proof yet that Putin was responsible for the attack on the former double agent.
Corbyn's ally Seamus Milne said today that because of past faulty intelligence over the Iraq War, the Labour boss was still sceptical: “There is a history between WMDs and intelligence which is problematic, to put it mildly”.
And he hinted the dangerous nerve agent Novichok could have got into the hands of another country, saying "the break up of the Soviet state led to all sorts of material ending up in random hands.”
Theresa May said she was "surprised and shocked" by the "outrageous and wrong" comments and that Labour MPs will be "equally concerned".
This afternoon a group of Labour backbenchers put forward their own motion in opposition to their leader, saying: "This House unequivocally accepts the Russian state's culpability for the poisoning of Sergei Skripal using the illegal Novichoc nerve agent" and that it "fully supports the statement made by the Prime Minister.... in response to Russia's illegal attack on the UK."
John Woodcock MP, who started the Early Day Motion, told The Sun: "This is a time for the nation to speak as one so it was heartening that the overwhelming majority of MPs of all parties spoke so strongly in support of the strong package of measures outlined by the Prime Minister today.
"There should be no doubt over Russia’s culpability and we should resist the Russian propaganda machine’s attempts to sow the seeds of doubt in the minds of the British people. So we hope as many MPs as possible sign our early day motion making clear we hold the Russian state squarely to blame for this atrocity and support the government’s response.
"Support for strong action from members of parliament of all sides is necessary to face down this threat to our nation and the international rules-based system that Putin seeks to destroy."
A dozen MPs were said to have backed it so far, and many publically distanced themselves from the spokesperson.
MP Anna Turley said: "I'm afraid Seumus [Jeremy Corbyn's spokesperson] doesn't speak for my Labour or British values."
And Luton South MP Gavin Shuker added "this once great party" in response to the spokesperson's comments.
In a statement this evening the Labour leader doubled down - saying that "the Russian authorities must be held to account on the basis of evidence."
He added: "The Prime Minister said on Monday and again today that Russia was either directly responsible or it was culpable because it lost control of this nerve agent."
In the Commons today Mr Corbyn hinted that it still could be possible Russians had lost control of their substances.
He added: "If the Government believes it is still a possibility that Russia negligently lost control of a military-grade nerve agent, what action is being taken through the OPCW (Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons) with our allies?"
He said that our response had to be based on "clear evidence".
Tory MP Chris Philp said he was "horrified" by the statements of Mr Corbyn's spokesman.
The leftie boss faced outrage from MPs across the House today for refusing to stand by the Prime Minister over the Sergei Skripal poisoning - after years of support for the Russian regime.
The Labour leader – and his most trusted advisor – have long defended Vladimir Putin leading to praise from Russian state media.
What we know so far about the spy poisoning:
- Theresa May kicked out 23 Russian spooks today over the Sergei Skripal case and the UK has called for an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council for an update.
- Today the Foreign Office updated travel advice to advise Brits not to comment 'publicly on political developments' and to be aware of anti-British sentiment or harassment
- Vladimir Putin ignored a deadline set by the PM to explain his involvement in the poisoning and instead warned Britain 'not to threaten a nuclear power'
- The Russian Foreign Minister said the actions were an 'unprecedented provocation' and would not be left unpunished
- Skripal and daughter Yulia remain in a critical condition in hospital after being exposed to a nerve agent in Salisbury on March 4.
- The cordon has now been extended 25 miles away to Gillingham, Dorset.
- Russian exiles have now been asked by cops to help identify a mystery couple aged between 35 and 40 seen close to Skripal and his daughter before they collapsed.
- Russian exile Nikolai Glushkov was discovered dead with 'strangulation marks' on his neck on Monday night by daughter Natalia Glushkova in New Malden, South West London.
- Anti-terror cops are investigating the 68-year-old's 'unexplained' death because of the 'associations' he reportedly had.
Tories shouted "disgrace!" and branded him a CND-wearing apologist for the Russian state" today as he refused to say he supported the Prime Minister's plans.
A long line of Labour MPs stood up today to say that they backed Mrs May's strong stance against President Putin and Russia - after she announced plans to kick out 23 spooks.
But Mr Corbyn caused fury by immediately taking political potshots, as he brought up cuts to our diplomatic capability.
He also said he agreed with Russia that we should hand over a sample of the nerve agent used.
Today The Sun Online revealed that members of a pro-Corbyn Facebook group have claimed the poisoning of a Russian double agent was carried out by the British Government in a bid to discredit their leader.
A private Facebook group, which boasts more than 28,000 members, sees hundreds of Corbynistas back Russia against the UK in the tense diplomatic dispute.
Some members of the group claim the nerve agent attack that targeted Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Salisbury, Wilts, is a "false flag".
Jeremy Corbyn and Labour’s previous support for Russia
JEREMY Corbyn sparked uproar this week with his repeated failure to condemn Vladimir Putin for the Sergei Skripal poisoning - but it should be no surprise given the Labour leader and his top team’s close links to Russia...
Jeremy Corbyn himself
Mr Corbyn has often blamed anyone other than Russia when it comes to aggression by Moscow, usually directing his ire towards Nato, which he said was “the father of the Cold War”.
In 2015 he also blamed the violence in the Crimea on the west, saying: “I am not condoning what Russia has done and is doing [in Ukraine].
“But everything has an equal and opposite reaction and so the more you build up Nato forces, the more of an excuse the Russians have.”
In 2014, as Russia invaded the Crimea Mr Corbyn wrote in an article for the communist newspaper the Morning Star saying Putin’s actions were “not unprovoked”.
Seumas Milne, director of communications
His views are closely echoed by his most senior and trusted adviser Seumas Milne, a former associate editor at the Guardian.
He has previously said Britain and its Nato allies were guilty of “anti-Russian incitement”, which was a “dangerous folly”, along with writing a series of pro-Putin articles.
He caused anger among Labour MPs yesterday for appearing to compare the evidence which pointed to Russian involvement in Salisbury with the case for war in Iraq.
But Mr Milne has long been on Russia’s side when it comes to such matters, and back in 2014 appeared at an event with Mr Putin and was pictured shaking the Russian leader’s hand.
The conference in Sochi took place after the invasion and annexation of Ukraine, which he defended as “clearly defensive”.
Links to Russia Today
The 59-year-old has also appeared numerous times on Russia Today, the Kremlin-funded TV channel which has been censured by the broadcast regulator Ofcom on multiple occasions.
Mr Corbyn himself was a regular guest on its programmes when he was a backbench MP, saying in 2013 the West should refrain from using “unconfirmed reports” about the use of chemical weapons in Syria to attack Russia.
He also suggested viewers stop watching mainstream broadcasters and give Russia Today, now known as RT, a chance instead.
A study in October last year found shadow ministers have featured at least 26 times since Mr Corbyn became Labour leader in 2015.
One of his key lieutenants, the shadow justice secretary Richard Burgon, has appeared 11 times, as have shadow ministers Barry Gardiner and Peter Dowd.
John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor, has also been on – but this week said he won't be making any more appearances, saying its coverage "goes beyond objective journalism".
Labour leader's advisers
Mr Corbyn has other people close to him who are supporting of Putin’s regime, with senior advisor Andrew Fisher allegedly using his position in the leader’s office to remove a reference to tackling “Russian aggression” from a briefing for it MPs on benefits of EU, saying: “We want a positive line.”
Mr Fisher, who wrote Labour’s 2017 manifesto, has a long-term association with Marxists and communists, and has also written extensively on Russia in the Morning Star.
Another advisor, Andrew Murray, also has a history of supporting the Russian regime through his leadership of the Stop the War coalition, which Mr Corbyn has been chair of and a longstanding supporter.
The group organised at least three rallies in Britain for Boris Kagarlitsky, a Putin apologist paid by the Russian government, with Mr Corbyn and Mr Milne speaking at one of them.
Mr Murray, who was seconded from the Unite union to Labour headquarters for the 2017 general election, also wrote an article in the Morning Star in 1999 arguing Josef Stalin’s leadership was preferable to the West, as well as others praising the Soviet Union.
Mrs May lashed out at Labour for refusing to join together with the Government in a time of national crisis.
“They could have taken the opportunity to condemn the culpability of the Russian state,” she stormed.
And Tory Mark Francois fumed: "The Leader of the Opposition could not bring himself to condemn Russia... he simply couldn't do it.
"Is it because he remains at hearts what he always has been... a CND-badge-wearing apologise for the Russian state?"
But Labour's backbenchers got behind the Prime Minister today.
Barrow and Furness MP John Woodcock said: "A clear majority of Labour MPs support the firm stance she is taking."
And Mike Gapes added: "The PM’s words were appropriate, measured and correct, and she has my full support."
Chris Bryant, Liz Kendall, Stephen Doughty and Ben Bradshaw followed suit in praising the PM for her strong actions.
Today Mrs May announced she would kick out 23 Russian spies from the UK as she blasted Russia for their response.
She told MPs that two dozen so-called diplomats who are in fact spies will be kicked out in a bid to stop Vladimir Putin meddling in Britain.
She also confirmed that no ministers or members of the Royal Family will attend this summer's World Cup in Russia - but stopped short of calling on the England team to pull out of the tournament.
Mrs May also announced this afternoon:
- New laws to help Britain defend itself from all forms of hostile Russian activity
- Flights and goods from Russia will face extra checks to stop ill-gotten gains entering the UK
- All planned talks with Russian officials, including a visit from the foreign minister, are cancelled
- Assets belonging to Putin's government will be frozen to stop them being used for wrongdoing
- Suspected spies could be detained at Britain's borders like terrorists under new powers
The expulsion of 23 Russian spies is the toughest act of its kind for 30 years - and will almost certainly spark a tit-for-tat diplomatic war, with British diplomats likely to be kicked out of Moscow.
Mrs May told the House of Commons: "To those who seek to do us harm, our message is clear - you are not welcome here."
Blasting Putin’s refusal to respond to her demand for an explanation, the PM said: “It was right to offer Russia the opportunity to provide an explanation.
“But their response has demonstrated complete disdain for the gravity of these events. They have provided no credible explanation that could suggest they lost control of their nerve agent.
“No explanation as to how this agent came to be used in the United Kingdom; no explanation as to why Russia has an undeclared chemical weapons programme in contravention of international law.
“Instead they have treated the use of a military grade nerve agent in Europe with sarcasm, contempt and defiance.
“There is no alternative conclusion other than that the Russian state was culpable for the attempted murder of Mr Skripal and his daughter - and for threatening the lives of other British citizens in Salisbury, including Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey.
“This represents an unlawful use of force by the Russian State against the United Kingdom.”
Yesterday Jeremy Corbyn was praised in Russia, with state TV channel Zveda publishing a story with the headline: “The leader of the British Labour Party calls for a dialogue with Russia.”
Mr Milne even appeared at an event with Vladimir Putin after his invasion and annexation of Ukraine in 2014, which he defended as “clearly defensive”.
Before being hired as the Labour leader’s top spin doctor he wrote a series of pro-Putin articles in his role as associate editor at The Guardian.
One, published in March 2015 just months before he started working for Mr Corbyn, complained how “Putin has now become a cartoon villain and Russia the target of almost uniformly belligerent propaganda across the western media”.
Mr Milne said Britain and its Nato allies were guilty of “anti-Russian incitement”, which was a “dangerous folly”, echoing his boss – who has repeatedly criticised Nato’s role over Russia.
Another column, this time from 2006, saw Mr Milne says the Soviet Union “helped to drive up welfare standards”.
These views closely resemble Mr Corbyn’s who said in 2005 Nato was “the father of the Cold War”, and said it should have “shut up shop in 1990”.
In 2015 he also blamed Russian aggression on Nato, saying: “I am not condoning what Russia has done and is doing [in Ukraine], but everything has an equal and opposite reaction and so the more you build up Nato forces, the more of an excuse the Russians have.”
In 2014, as Russia invaded the Crimea Mr Corbyn wrote in an article for the Morning Star: “On Ukraine, I would not condone Russian behaviour or expansion.
"But it is not unprovoked, and the right of people to seek a federal structure or independence should not be denied. And there are huge questions around the West’s intentions in Ukraine.”