BRITAIN severed all diplomatic relations with Colonel Gaddafi’s Libya for decades on the grounds of complicity with the death (by dum-dum bullet) of PC Yvonne Fletcher, and on evidence far less damning than the trail of deadly Novichok nerve poison leading straight back to Vladimir Putin’s far more dangerous gang of bullies at the Kremlin.

Nothing short of a complete cultural, economic and political boycott will suffice in response until Russia co-operates in ensuring those responsible are brought to justice in this country. Salisbury’s citizens deserve no less.

Anything less is tantamount to appeasement – and we all know where that led to, especially Russia, whose hubristic President appears to have forgotten it took our Arctic convoys to save his people from becoming slave labourers of the Nazi empire.

Mark Boyle,

15 Linn Park Gardens, Johnstone.

I HAVE yet to hear anyone say to the parliament in Westminster “you reap what you sow” when referring to the heinous crimes committed in these islands among the racketeers whose livelihood depends upon lying, brutalising and cheating their way through massive fortunes. The survivors of Grenfell Tower have to suffer knowing that Russian millionaires are content to keep their second homes unoccupied in England’s capital while they have to wait to be rehoused. And ordinary citizens of the UK are put at risk from inter mafia-type warring.

It seems that once again money speaks louder than morality, the welcoming of Russian oligarchy over what could be developing infrastructure for the needy, weapons and warplanes for Saudi Arabia instead of adequate mercy missions to war torn Yemen and the Middle East.

Janet Cunningham,

10 The Woodlands, Stirling.

WHILST Theresa May’s actions against Russia will have the commendable result of reducing our expenditure on profligate diplomatic missions in the light of the expected tit-for-tat response to her expulsion of Russian diplomats, I fear that she really has underplayed her hand. Whereas nationalisation without compensation of all Russian-owned property in the UK might lead to a temporary downwards blip in the London property market, selling these assets off by auction could help to finance the costs of Brexit and would allow UK citizens to pick them up at a substantial discount and prices would soon rise again.

John Eoin Douglas,

7 Spey Terrace, Edinburgh.

THE first comment I would make on the current Russian situation is “who killed Dr David Kelly?” And the second is “people in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones”. All countries are doing the same thing. Porton Down manufactures the same chemicals. No country is innocent. Britain is guilty of selling arms to Saudi Arabia which are used to bomb innocent women and children. The United States has been involved in wars in Vietnam, Cambodia, Korea, Afghanistan, Iraq, and more. It is threatening to “nuke” every country who upsets the President in the White House. It is not Russia which is threatening world peace, it is the US.

Margaret Forbes,

26 Corlic Way, Kilmacolm.

IT would indeed be a remarkable coincidence if the recent nerve gas event was not in some way connected to Porton Down just outside Salisbury. This huge establishment in 7,000 acres is the oldest chemical warfare plant in the world and has been in the nerve gas business at least since the mid-1950s. I am not a Putin watcher but I am increasingly uncomfortable about Westminster continually aping Washington and provoking the Russians with fake news and sanctions.

What the motivation is I can’t say but the only Russians welcomed in the West appear to be the oligarchs who were exiled for raping their country’s assets and who make contributions to the Conservative Party.

One way or another Westminster has made a botch of UK affairs for the past 50 years and it’s getting worse by the day. If Holyrood would just grow up and stop bickering about trivia and demonstrated a bit more maturity and ability to run a small country than they might just start gathering the support they need.

RF Morrison,

Millig, 29, Colquhoun Street, Helensburgh.

AS France, Germany and the United States supports Downing Street in its stance vis-a-vis Russia and the attempted murder of former double agent Sergei Skripol and his daughter in Salisbury, Alex Salmond shows no sign of standing down from his show on Russia Today. Why? Does his ego or financial greed prevent him? Or will he stop at nothing to adopt a position contrary to the UK?

Martin Redfern,

Woodcroft Road, Edinburgh.

THERESA May is now doing well; it is nice to see this after all the flak she has taken.

England should not take part in the World Cup. The KGB will be involved in posturing at the very least and other actions against their players and coaches. On their past behaviour that can practically be guaranteed. When a monomaniac is in charge it is inevitable.

Thirty years ago, Menzies Campbell, Olympic athlete, advocate and politician argued in an English newspaper that Britain should not have taken part in the Olympic Games in 1936 when another monomaniac was in charge. That letter changed my mind. Sport must be a level playing field or it is not sport.

Those in the World Cup should be asked to cancel it forthwith and transfer it to a country that believes in international decency. If some have not the courage, let those who have hold an alternative World Cup of decent people.

When Russia has been assassinating people in the UK and endangering the lives of everyone near them, to even enter their territory is to court disaster, for they are impervious to public opinion and intent only upon domination.

It is the duty of everyone and every country to condemn their attitude and take active steps against it. The Russians have stolen the Crimea and part of Ukraine, they have been murdering private citizens in other countries and developing and using chemical weapons. They have been developing other weapons and, given their record, they will soon be used. They were banned from the Olympics for drug taking on a massive scale, heedless of the values of decent people. It is time to rouse the world against this horror. Have we not seen enough before?

William Scott,

23 Argyle Place, Rothesay.