7 Mar 2018

Counter-terrorism police investigate Ex-Russian spy poisoning

From Morning Report, 7:24 am on 7 March 2018

Counter terrorism police have taken over the investigation into apparent poisoning of a former Russian double agent and his daughter in southern England. The move came as Britain's foreign secretary Boris Johson threatened "a robust response" if Russia was found to be responsible for the incident, including boycotting the upcoming football World Cup. Sergei Skripal, 66, and his 33-year-old daughter Yulia are critically ill in hospital after being found unconscious on Sunday on a bench outside a shopping centre in Salisbury. The BBC's home affairs correspondent Tom Symonds is in Salisbury and tells Susie Ferguson the details.