OT - Salisbury Poisoning

[ramAnag]

Sometimes you just have to go with gut feel RA. Using a very local and very recent analogy, and without being remotely racist, when there are 'travellers' in the area offering to do tree work at discounted rates, and my way down Gypsy (sic) Lane is blocked by a lorryload of fly-tipped conifer cuttings, I didn't see who it was but I know who it was

But that does constitute ‘evidence’, Andy...you did see conifers being pruned back followed by a lot of conifer cuttings dumped nearby. Not ‘concrete’ maybe but certainly evidence of a sort.
This is politics and also next door, as MA pointed out, to Porton Down...there might be all sorts going on and personally I wouldn’t trust any of the b*****s but, imo - and again I’m no great fan - Corbyn’s response seemed quite sensible to me and much more appropriate than May’s over excited one.

[roger_ramjet]

This is not unlike the extreme coincidences that used to take place when I was a kid - large piles of council owned asphalt planned for use in road repairs would go missing and shortly afterwards we would get a knock on the door from the TGBs wondering if we would like them to tarmac a drive. No proof of connection, but if it looks like a poo and smells like a poo, it usually is a poo.

It does all seem like a bit of a storm in a teacup however, and personally I don't really care if the Russians did take care of a couple of their own.

[Ram59]

This is not unlike the extreme coincidences that used to take place when I was a kid - large piles of council owned asphalt planned for use in road repairs would go missing and shortly afterwards we would get a knock on the door from the TGBs wondering if we would like them to tarmac a drive. No proof of connection, but if it looks like a poo and smells like a poo, it usually is a poo.

It does all seem like a bit of a storm in a teacup however, and personally I don't really care if the Russians did take care of a couple of their own.

It's one thing taking a couple of their own, but when they're reckless as to whether innocent British people are taken with them, them it's a different matter.

[AdiSalisbury]

Why do it now though? They could've done it years ago. Maybe he was about to leak something important?

Either way, I don't see the benefit of escalating the issue. Should be dealt with behind closed doors.

I don't buy the Porton Down conspiracy, they've much worse there (well documented, not local rumour) and could have provided something with less collateral damage, going unnoticed.

[Andy_Faber]

But that does constitute ‘evidence’, Andy...you did see conifers being pruned back followed by a lot of conifer cuttings dumped nearby. Not ‘concrete’ maybe but certainly evidence of a sort.
This is politics and also next door, as MA pointed out, to Porton Down...there might be all sorts going on and personally I wouldn’t trust any of the b*****s but, imo - and again I’m no great fan - Corbyn’s response seemed quite sensible to me and much more appropriate than May’s over excited one.

Its evidence RA, because 'that' is what 'they' (travellers and Russia) do. Remember that piece of paper Neville Chamberlain brought back? Same applies now as then and RR's eloquent poo analogy is spot on.

And au contraire IMO regarding Corbyn, not treasonous as suggested elsewhere but so apologetic even some of his sycophants broke ranks on him. God help us if he ever runs the shop

[ramAnag]

Why do it now though? They could've done it years ago. Maybe he was about to leak something important?

Either way, I don't see the benefit of escalating the issue. Should be dealt with behind closed doors.

I don't buy the Porton Down conspiracy, they've much worse there (well documented, not local rumour) and could have provided something with less collateral damage, going unnoticed.

Inclined to agree about the ‘behind closed doors’ bit, Adi. Sadly that’s rarely going to happen nowadays so when May makes her pronouncements she’s simultaneously courting popularity amongst the electorate, but I do wish the usual newspaper stirrers (Mail, Express and Sun) would stfu before any more damage is done.
Suppose it’s all taking attention away from the announcements today about the fire doors at Grenfell being unfit for purpose...frankly that should matter more than a rather clumsy attempt at taking out a double agent imo.

[Romanis]

Watching Mrs May clutching at straws in an attempt to show strength. Fact of the matter is Russia is sending a message to all those deemed a threat, you can run but you can't hide.
If the UK stops giving asylum to enemies of Putin, then this thing will stop, in a way this is Britain's doing, they want name recognition, they want money from oligarchs, but they don't want the baggage, No dice.

[Andy_Faber]

Suppose it’s all taking attention away from the announcements today about the fire doors at Grenfell being unfit for purpose...frankly that should matter more than a rather clumsy attempt at taking out a double agent imo.

I agree that Imelda and chums might be 'bigging this up a bit', a sort of sh*t equivalent to Thatcher's Falklands, BUT for every ying theres a yang and even the Grenfell tragedy is becoming tarnished, I've read so many stories (and not in the Mail & Co) of survivors playing the system and nearby residents indulging in good old fashioned fraud and deception. There are few clean hands....

[ramAnag]

I agree that Imelda and chums might be 'bigging this up a bit', a sort of sh*t equivalent to Thatcher's Falklands, BUT for every ying theres a yang and even the Grenfell tragedy is becoming tarnished, I've read so many stories (and not in the Mail & Co) of survivors playing the system and nearby residents indulging in good old fashioned fraud and deception. There are few clean hands....

Oh c’mon Andy, you’re better than that. 71 people died in dreadful circumstances...if that’s not enough the point surely is...how many other UK tower blocks have dangerous cladding and sub standard fire doors?
Our Government engages in the making of an international incident following an apparent attempt on the life of a Russian double agent. A week later some Salisbury folk are told to wash their clothes yet it takes almost nine months for the truth to come out about the Grenfell Tower fire doors.

[Romanis]

In 1 week, HM's Govt has truly made Great Britain into Little Britain. We have idiots as Ministers, Boris Johnson is the biggest idiot. Anyone could see that this rabid mouth could never cut as a Foreign Minister, May in her stupidity to get back at Cameron and Osborne brought this clown and Gove in. She truly has to go. Doesn't history show that Home Secretaries make poor leaders?