Express & Star

Gavin Williamson: Russia should 'go away and shut up'

Gavin Williamson said Russia should 'go away and shut up' as he launched a scathing attack on Vladimir Putin's regime.

Published
Last updated
Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson

The Defence Secretary was responding to a question over the potential for a British military response against Russia should relations between the two countries deteriorate further.

Referring to the chemical attack on Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Mr Williamson said: "It is absolutely atrocious and outrageous what Russia did in Salisbury.

"We have responded to that. Frankly, Russia should go away and should shut up.

"But if they do respond to the action that we have taken, we'll consider it carefully and we'll look at our options, but it would be wrong to pre-judge their response."

It came as rumours circulated that Russia is poised to order home UK embassy officials in both Moscow and St Petersburg in response to Theresa May’s expulsion of 23 Russian spies.

The South Staffordshire MP was making his first major keynote speech since becoming Secretary of State.

Asked if Britain and Russia were entering a 'new Cold War', Mr Williamson replied: “Relations ain’t good are they?”

And he added: “It is often described as a cool war that we are entering into. I would say it’s feeling exceptionally chilly at the moment.”

Mr Williamson said it was ‘time for the whole country to unite’ behind the Prime Minister.

"You see it in the House of Commons and you listen to members of Parliament from all parties on the backbenches. That is what they are wanting to see: Britain standing together against this great threat."

Mr Williamson confirmed that the Ministry of Defence will invest £48m in a new Chemical Weapons Defence Centre at Porton Down.