Russian spy attempted murder - what should the UK do?

Is it the Russian government? I have no idea. But having watched McMafia even if there is a trail leading to someone I will doubt that trail.It seemed evident from that (and I accept it is fiction but probably based on real evidence) that there are all sorts of links between crime and government. As an ex-spy who knows what he might once have been mixed up in? Perhaps someone whose family had been betrayed by him was taking revenge. It isn't a simple crime nd I don't think there will be a simple answer.

Had he really retired , I don't know

Maybe we should stop playing spy games.
It's been going on since ancient times, the Greeks, the Romans had their spies so I don't think we're going to end it any time soon.

Perhaps one day in the future - we can live in hope.

I watched a bit of the programme Putin, the new czar, chilling and frightening.
The scene where Angela Merkyl meets Putin in his home territory said everything. Putin was aware that Merkyl is afraid of Dogs. Throughout their meeting an extremely large black dog wandered, repeatedly going to Merkyl to sniff her hands. She remained calm, goodness knows how. This was a deliberAte attempt to undermine Merkyl and give him an advantage, psychopathic ?

The fact that he is ex-KGB says a lot about him.

Yes, Jalima, that part of the prog was spookily sadistic. Not a fan of Angela Merkel, but Putin's behaviour to her was appalling. Poor woman, I really felt for her.

I don't blame Putin OR Trump. When you hold the reins of power, you probably have a different mindset to that of the man in the street, even if you once were that man in the street.
Blair and Bush were among many others who let power go to their respective heads.
It's all about mind games and can be seen in every walk of life and at every level of society.
Putin is a past master of that 'art' and he's going to employ every trick in the book to unsettle or soothe, depending on what sort of outcome he wishes to achieve.
You don't get anywhere by playing by the rules all the time.

This particular incident is very odd. At first, it was widely reported that the police officer who is in hospital was one of the first responders when the man and his daughter were found slumped on a seat. The Express reported "The police officer seriously injured as he helped former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in last weekend’s nerve agent attack has been named."

The I yesterday reported:

"Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey was initially assumed to have been among those who came to the aid of the former MI6 agent and his daughter after they were found collapsed on as park bench, shortly before 4 p.m. on Sunday.

"But a former head of the Metropolitan Police revealed yesterday that the officer .. may have fallen ill after visiting Mr Skripal's house ... during initial investigations within the first hours of the father and daughter being found".

Lord Blair. the former Metropolitan Police Commissioner, said it appeared that the officer had been to the house and added that a doctor who looked after the patients in the open wasn't affected at all. Wiltshire police are said to have "not responded to requests to clarify". Apparently, police officers went to Mr Skripal's house within hours of he and his daughter falling ill. It was also stated that the daughter may have unwittingly brought the poison in after arriving from Moscow the previous day.

There seems to be a great deal of confusion about who was where and when, and perhaps there is more to this than meets the eye.

You'd think any assassin would be much better at it than causing all this hoohaa. Wonder if they'll be in trouble?

Just listening to TM - impressed

Wow

Good heavens

Well that’s clear

May not very convincing that Tory donations are only from "good" Russians and not anything to do with "rogue state" Russia
www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/mar/12/tory-links-russia-saudi-links-corbyn-spy-extremism?CMP=share_btn_link

I wish JC hadn’t brought that up in his response - I think he missed a chance to just support her and her position against a common enemy - and I don’t doubt at all that Russia are the enemy of democracy in the Western world

maryeliza, I'd agree it was not the place to raise it

Apparently Russia has 24 hours to admit or not to their involvement. What happens then ?

Well she offered a rock or a hard place - they carried out a direct act or lost control of the nerve gas supply.

Bottom line? we in the west can do nothing, and Russia knows it! What did we DO about Crimea? East Ukraine? Well - nothing!! except huff and puff!
I agree, it's a pity the opposition couldn't just this once support the government over this very serious matter. What on earth have russian oligarchs have to do with this attempt to poison this man, his daughter and anyone else who happen to get in the way?!! Mind you, why am I not surprised!!

Should we boycott the World Cup? Would anyone care? ( no doubt get knocked out in the 1st round anyway but surely English dignitaries shouldn’t attend - think Prince William is supposed to go) where is Boris Johnson in all this?

As you say Gerispringer, the world cup?!! As we will almost certainly be knocked out early on would anyone care? So Prince William boycotts the football? that for certain will get Russia quakng!! Truth is, we can do nothing!!

Corbyn was on his own completely, the way he answered the PM and all the Labour MP’s in fact all MP’s from all parties backed what May had to say.
Who can imagine this man as our Prime Minister!

Some obviously do lemongrove

No more going onto Russia Today for either Corbyn and Mc Donnell I hope.

Just slagging off JC doesn’t really address the question - what should / can the UK do?