May praises people of Salisbury for their response to ‘reckless’ Novichok attack

Theresa May praised the “tremendous spirit and resolve” shown by the people of Salisbury a year on from the nerve agent attack in the city.

Former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were poisoned with Novichok in the Wiltshire city in what the Prime Minister described as an “utterly reckless” attack.

The Russian GRU intelligence agency has been blamed for the use of the chemical weapon, which later claimed the life of Dawn Sturgess, who died after coming into contact with a perfume bottle believed to have been used in the attack on the Skripals and then discarded.

In Salisbury, the Prime Minister met some of residents of Christie Miller Road – the neighbours of Mr Skripal and the location where the nerve agent was deployed.

She also visited businesses in the city and its historic cathedral following last week’s announcement that the clean-up operation at sites connected with the attack had been completed.

Mrs May said: “This city has shown such spirit and resolve in the last 12 months.

“The impact of the utterly reckless use of a nerve agent should not and will not be forgotten.

“But it is incredibly heartening to see the hard work and determination of the people here to ensure this city has a positive and prosperous future, which it deserves.”

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt thanked the UK’s allies for their response to the attack.

The UK expelled 23 diplomats it claimed were Russian spies following the attack and other Western powers followed suit.