John Baron MP: Sanctions are only a short-term fix

MP says we must stand up to Russia’s bully-boy tactics

Following the meeting of the National Security Council, the Prime Minister will give a Statement in the House of Commons this afternoon during which she is expected to blame the Russian Government for last week’s nerve agent attack on Sergei Skripal and his daughter.

John said,

“If the Prime Minister does lay responsibility for the attack at Russia’s door, then there can be no half measures. This was a brazen chemical weapons attack on British streets. Diplomatic expulsions and sanctions, in effect targeting the bully’s friends, are only a short-term fix. In coordination with allies on both sides of the Atlantic, a strong message must be sent to the Russian Government that they have crossed a line – something we should have done over ten years ago with the murder of Alexander Litvinenko.”

“Our misguided interventions in Iraq, Helmand and Libya distracted us from the greater danger posed by certain nation states. With its interventions in Georgia, Ukraine, Syria and Estonia, along with its apparent attempts to influence elections in Western countries, Russia is demonstrating that it is a risk to our security. There can be little doubt that our ineffectual response to these developments has emboldened the Russians – we must now stand up to their bully-boy tactics.”

“We must now begin to take defence more seriously, including by increasing the defence budget. At the same time, the Foreign Office must expand its Russian department, which has been badly hollowed out since the end of the Cold War. Only these actions will enable us to consider delivering the full-spectrum response required.”