The Poison in our Body Politic 391

As Porton Down now confirm, here is a straightforward lie from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, a lie that British diplomats around the world have been promoting to foreign governments.

The key point is that the FCO knew it was lying. This was published six days after I was told by an FCO source, and published, that Porton Down scientists were refusing to say the substance came from Russia. The FCO knew this.


There has to be some kind of redress for this. If we accept that we live in a society where the public bodies that are supposed to serve us, can lie to us and to the world in order specifically to heat up a cold war, then the future is bleak. This is a direct consequence of the lack of suitable punishment for those involved in the crime of creating lies to wage aggressive war on Iraq, particularly Tony Blair, Richard Dearlove and John Scarlett. As they are not in jail, Boris is confident he will not be either.

We have learned nothing from the Iraq War experience, and what is most disheartening is that officials within the FCO and security services still do not see it as their job to prevent lies rather than to propagate them when asked by a Minister.

Here is a screenshot of a FCO video showing Laurie Bristow, British Ambassador to Russia, in Moscow telling outright lies to gathered diplomats at a briefing there. The subtitle is accurate.

I have long held the opinion that Bristow is a deeply repulsive individual with no morals or scruples. When I was sacked as British Ambassador to Tashkent for criticising Uzbekistan’s human rights record and objecting to MI6 use of intelligence from the Uzbek torture chambers, Bristow went to Tashkent after my removal to assure the Uzbeks that the UK had no interest in human rights and wished to continue “intelligence cooperation”. That somebody like Bristow can become one of Britain’s most senior Ambassadors says all you need to know about the United Kingdom today.

391 thoughts on “The Poison in our Body Politic

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  • Charles

    Does anyone know what the 500+ detectives are investigating in Salisbury?

    It seems to me that Mrs May and Boris already have the evidence and delivered their punishment.

    Or are the police correct when they say it could take several months before they know who is responsible?

    Those officers might be better used on the streets of London to deter the murder epidemic or in every town in Britain where the paedophile gangs are running amok.

    • Charles

      I suppose there is a line of inquiry, once they stop looking at cars, that they might follow.

      How many spy colleagues did Sergei dob in? These presumably were all trained assassins complete with the tools and potions that their work required. They might have a grudge.

    • Paul Barbara

      @ Charles April 5, 2018 at 09:41
      Indeed. Only yesterday i watched the following video interview with an ex police detective, Jon Wedger, who told an absolutely horrendous story:
      ‘Report #54: Jon Wedger, London Police Whistleblower on Child Prostitution & Trafficking’:
      This video really shows just how utterly corrupt our government and police force is. The video really needs to be widely disseminated.
      No wonder the ‘Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA)’ is going nowhere fast.

  • Paul

    Large tree/ forest plantations have been instigated/planned but what and who for. There is not enough to go round.

  • Roman_D

    It’s very encouraging to read Mr. Murray’s posts and also all these comments that point to all the discrepancies and overall absurdness of the poisoning case. I’m not saying it was not Russia to poison Skripal. It definitely could be Russia. But the way it is handled by UK gvmnt. cannot be acceptable for any person with some basic common sence. On the other hand we can see that most of the European countries support the position of UK and have already sent out diplomats from their countries. Yesterday 17 members (mostly western countries) at OPCW session voted against Russia’s proposal to undertake an joint RU-UK investigation. Why would one vote against an investigation? How come nobody sees all this absurdness?
    But I don’t think these people have have lost their common sense. Sending out the diplomats (read spies) appears to be not the consequence but an intermediate goal. And overall it looks to me more like a preparation for a war.

    • Agent Green

      A war which nobody will win as it will end all life on earth. Putin has already made this perfectly clear. In the event of such a war, nobody will win and everyone will die.

  • mike

    Now the state broadcaster is doing what it always does when awkward questions arise – letting the story drop. This is a managed climbdown by the Maybot and her clowns, ably assisted by the BBC. A truly impartial news organisation would hound Bully Boris to find out why he lied. If this was Corbyn it would be the top story for days. Time and again the Blairite state broadcaster soft-soaps the Tories while turning its fire on Corbyn. Now they are protecting a dangerous idiot of a Foreign Secretary in the hope that the Tories avoid a wipe-out in the local elections. The Skripal debacle proves, once again, that the BBC is an arm of the state.

    • Jo Dominich

      Hi Mike, it’s not just the BBC – it’s all British broadcast and paper media. It is a shameful disgrace that all the Murdoch Press went out of their way to protect Johnson when he blatantly lied. It is truly scandalous that our Foreign Office then deleted a tweet from our Foreign Secretary having been caught out in a serious lie. This is a Government Office for dealing with international issues and policy, not a small private organisation or press outfit so the lie is even more serious taken internationally. I do agree that the BBC should have pursued this more robustly but, when you’ve got newspapers like The Guardian who are well placed to do some real investigative journalism and are not doing it, then something is seriously wrong. It seems as though nobody in the media has the courage to speak out against the Government. And we say we live in a democracy and have a free press – more like a Tory Propaganda machine. I also agree with you, had this been a Labour Government and Corbyn, they would have crucified them and there certainly would have been calls for resignations. I am at a complete loss to understand why any of our Press are supporting this sorry excuse of a Government who cannot even tell the truth.

  • Tony_0pmoc

    The Daily Mail excels itself here, with the biggest load of nonsense, I have yet read on the subject. I don’t know why they bother, because according to the comments, the vast majority of Daily Mail readers, think the story is total rubbish. Who exactly are they trying to convince? Themselves, who are writing this crap? What the hell are they on?

    “Russia has explored carrying out assassinations by placing nerve agent Novichok on door handles, the Daily Mail can reveal.

    Police have already disclosed they believe Sergei Skripal and his daughter were poisoned in Salisbury after the poison was smeared on the double agent’s front door.

    Now British intelligence agencies have evidence that Russia had been testing the deadly agent specifically on door handles in the run-up to the attack on March 3.

    Agents also have highly sensitive information showing Moscow tested the poison on other ‘everyday objects’, it emerged last night.

    A security source said: ‘We have intelligence that goes beyond Russia made Novichok and stockpiled it.


    The detail was one of several crucial pieces of evidence that led the UK government to determine that it was ‘highly likely’ that Vladimir Putin’s regime was behind the attack.

    Sources also revealed last night that foreign intelligence agencies have been passing top-secret information to the UK that pointed the finger at the Kremlin.

    While it is not known what intelligence has been given to British agencies, or which countries supplied it, the information was said to have added further weight to the UK’s dossier on the attack.

    Sources said all the evidence amassed by intelligence agencies, the military, and the Government laid the blame firmly at Russia’s door.

    They would not say when the evidence of Russia testing Novichok on door handles had come to light for security reasons – confirming only that the details had been unearthed in ‘recent times’.

    A source said this key evidence had been handed over to Britain’s allies in a move described as unprecedented intelligence sharing.”

    • Olaf S

      This must say between us, but they came across this document:

      “The Office of the President of The Russian Federation.:
      All government security institutions are to investigate door handles, in particular those models in use in foreign countries, and how to best apply poison to them. All our known enemies use door handles and will soon be eliminated. (World dominance within reach, I told you). Highest priority!

      V. Putin (sign).

    • Sean Lamb

      What sort of door handles did the Skripals have? Lots of doors don’t need you to touch the handle to close them. But this one must need to people simultaneously to push it shut.

      This type of intelligence should be called for what it is, “Pee tape intelligence”

    • Jo Dominich

      Tony, just to add something or ask a question really, nobody has answered the question as to how the person who allegedly smeared the nerve agent on the car door, car ventilator system, front door blah blah blah, was not contaminated. After all, they must have been highly visible in hazmet suits given the serious level of toxicity for novichocks. Also, the cat apparently was put down due to severe malnutrition not having been fed for 4 weeks and the two guinea pigs died of dehydration not having been given an water for 4 weeks.

  • Paul

    The old blood paternity test (before DNA) can only prove negative, it cannot prove positive and that’s when they have got all the samples.

  • Paul Barbara

    Someone has already put up this link, but it’s worth a bump:
    ‘Operation Hades Blamed Russia – A Model For The ‘Novichok’ Claims?’:
    Then of course we have ‘Operation Gladio’, where bombings, shootings and massacres of ordinary citizens were carried out in Europe by CIA-controlled groups, often Fascists, in what was also known as a ‘Strategy of Tension’; ‘Red’ communist or left-wing groups were blamed, in order to smear their ideology and prevent left-wing or communist parties from gaining votes in elections and perhaps gaining power.
    So, the West has ‘form’ in committing atrocities against it’s own citizens in order to smear Russia (or Soviet Union).
    Why should we dismiss the highly likely suggestion that they haven’t changed their spots, and that the Skripal affair is not just more of the same?

  • nevermind

    According to the Russian ambassador, the opcw result could be D noticed the moment it is released. Britain will try its best to not share samples, results and or where they say it was produced.
    He also laments that the results of yesterdays OPCW meeting points to arm twisting of some members, hence the multiple abstentions.

    The BBC is an integral arm of the Government, it is collaborating with operation Beluga, there is no more scrutiny, it is the ministry of believes in perceptions.
    It is also involved with destabilising the opposition in the vilest way’s possible, a much united MSM which is desperate to get rid of Corbyn and replace him with a yes man.
    The BBC has failed to question the parameters of Brexit, failed to go beyond pre arranged discussion groups, merely going through the motions whilst at all times amplifying Government war propaganda, goading statements comparing Hitler to Stalin were pumped out by the hour every hour and on all channels, a disgrace they could have abstained from.

    They have joined in with this Government to poison the atmosphere at the forthcoming world cup and they do well to keep all corporate logo’s covered up.

    The Foreign Secretary must resign, he has endangered the realm by lying, severely. I have suspicions that the FO is run from outside this country, that they don’t know what to put on or delete from twatter and that they are not in charge of our foreign policy in the ME for example. Our party political representatives do not work for the constituencies anymore, first and foremost.
    How is this even possible to allow access to this ego enriched pernicious clique chat room?

    • Jo Dominich

      Nevermind, this is a really sobering article. If the OPCW is not independent and open to manipulation by the USA and UK, then it isn’t fit for purpose. I cannot see how their findings can be ‘D’ Noticed legitimately. It is there precisely to investigate impartially and arrive at conclusions. Britain has not undertaken a transparent investigation – it is secretive, lacking in evidence and based on a chronic lie – the world deserves better than that given the enormity of the impact on diplomatic relations. Russia, as far as I can tell, is trying to go through the official routes to get some answers and/or evidence. It’s recent request for the Russian Ambassador in the UK to meet with Boris Johnson has been dismissed by the FCO as ‘a diversionary tactic’ and that meeting has been refused. Has the FCO completely lost sight of diplomacy, international dialogue and responsibility. This response is unprecedented in its serious disregard for the diplomatic process, mind you, for FCO read Boris Johnson. Where are the investigative journalists when we need them most?

  • Tony M

    I would attach some significance to early eye-witness accounts that one or more of the victims were looking up to the sky and flapping their arms, perhaps trying to tell someone, but unable to speak, that the attack came from the air, a model aircraft or drone possibly? For certain it didn’t happen, if anything out of the ordinary did happen, in the absurd manner officialdom are telling us it did.

  • Yonatan

    There are reports of British, Saudi and other western special forces officers being captured by the Syrian Arab Army in east Ghouta. The reports claim that these foreign military specialists controlled the targetting of the mortars and rocket launchers used by the terrorists. The terrorists fired into Damascus hitting hospitals, markets,schools, and elsewhere, specifically the Russian Embassy. Do your contacts in the FO have any knowledge of this story?

  • Six-inch drop

    We will get our redress after MI6 and CIA get their war and Russia decapitates their fragile strategic C3 and routs them.* Her Majesty’s lie is among the clearest cases of war propaganda in breach of ICCPR Article 20, and part of the MI6 command structure’s plan and conspiracy for war. The British regime attempted a legally-void reservation to Article 20 that would undermine the object and purpose of the treaty but they can tell it to the judge in the postwar tribunal. Can’t wait to see Boris clowning in the glass box at Nuremberg II.

    * Think that’s hard? Mitre and Ptech did it no problem:

  • AlbertA

    Craig Murray you are a ray of light in an otherwise deeply darkened world!
    Tonight’s events in the UN: A long time since someone has talked about defectors. Remember it from the days of the Cold War. It was mentioned by the UK ambassador to the UN tonight, Russian Defectors as assassination targets for the ‘regime’. I suppose they may have reinvented Checkpoint Charlie for the purpose? The insanity of the presentation and the whole msm covering (up) of this case is downright scaring. Will we really experience the worst war we were afraid of when we were children? It is now up to the good people in the UK to start a protest that gets traction to save us all from the insanity. If we can’t mobilise people, like we did before the Iraq War, there isn’t much hope. (Not that it did much difference then.) But seriously, what should we do? What can we do in our respective countries? I live in Scandinavia with a border to Russia, who by the way liberated us from German occupation in 1945 and then took their troops home. Our prime minister did not go the the celebrations of the 70th anniversary because of Crimea. Shameful. The Cold War is alive and well, it never went away, just re-invented itself for a new era.

    • Peter Peters

      You are right. If western population does not realize what is going on (MSM and govt does not help either) and hit the streets as they did for Vietnam war and other conflicts, and stop their by now insane leaders, we will have that last one for sure. Russia (and her friends like China their ally and others) will not back off, for they know that then they are doomed to become American & vassal’s puppets/vassals for ever. This will not be allowed by these powerful countries, as was done to numerous victims (Yugoslavia, Iraq, Afhg. Libya and others) that were not able to defend themselves and Russia was weak to save them. Now after saving Syria, no other country will be allowed destroyed by usual suspect and certainly not Russia or China. They better heed the words of Napoleon he said in 1812: ‘TO CONQUER RUSSIA, FIRST ONE MUST BE PREPARED TO DIE”. Today he would say it differently:”TO CONQUER RUSSIA, FIRST ONE AND HIS ENTIRE NATION, ALLIES AND THEIR NATIONS MUST BE PREPARED TO DIE”. Are they?

    • Jo Dominich

      Albert A, I agree with you about the UK’s presentation to the UN. It is my understanding though that Skripal was swapped as part of a spy swap, he did not defect here. The truth really is being sidelined isn’t it. It is a shame your Prime Minister appears not to understand that Russia neither invaded nor illegally annexed Crimea. The Crimean people voted to be annexed to the Russian Federation due to serious concerns about the Ukraine Government. Also, it is inappropriate to call Russia a ‘regime’ at the UN, it isn’t, it is the Russian Federation.

  • Peter Peters

    The fact is; if the Russians wanted him assassinated with anything, he would never make it to that hospital, but 6′ under 100%. This was deliberately or accidentally botched up job by Brits or Amerikanski or both. Then used as planed to further demonize Russia, perhaps for some specific purpose. Is it to punish them for liberating and saving Syria, standing up to them in Ukraine, or even to eventually attack them as they did so many victims after good demonizing and whipping up their copulation for war. Yugoslavia, Iraq, Afght. Libya, Syria… But Russia ain’t those victims that could not fight back. So be careful and heed Napoleon’s words in 1812, just before he attacked Russia: “TO CONQUER RUSSIA, FIRST ONE MUST BE PREPARED TO DIE”. Today, one and his entire nation must be prepared to die. Are they?

    • Jo Dominich

      Hi Peter, I have blogged over the past 3 weeks that the British Government escalation of this incident is a forerunner to another false flag, a chemical attack in Syria which will be blamed on Russia and Syria and cue, USA/UK/Israel invasion of Syria. Hey presto, looks as though that is exactly what has happened this weekend with the USA already rattling their war sabre.

  • Kat

    Are only my comments being deleated here? I thought that was a blog that welcomed open expression of opinions in search for the truth…. very dissapointing indeed

  • Eric Bloodaxe

    Seafood Risotto is not a Nerve Agent!
    It is a possibility that the Skripal’s had suffered biphasic anaphylaxis following their seafood risotto meal in Zizzi’s resturant.
    Biphasic anaphylaxis, is a delayed severe shock that can cause vomiting and a coma.
    The quick reaction of Mr Steel and MI6 in fabricating this story is a tribute to them.
    Unfortunately, the internet connects millions of genuine experts who can smell a rat all too easily. Their collected knowledge soon gets to the truth. The sooner the idiot politicians and so called intelligence (oxymoron – emphasis on the moron) wake up to this the better for us all. I love the Russians sense of humour. Alice in Wonderland, brilliant.
    Well done Craig, keep up the good work.

  • mrjohn

    I’ve come to the conclusion this problem stems from a combination of incompetence and opportunism. For example, the Defense Secretary tells Russia to “Shut up and go away” this makes him appear childish, so he comes back with a tough guy stance talking about chemical warfare to bolster his image, and the argument escalates.

    I think the former spy poisoned himself handling contraband originally filched during the breakdown of the USSR. That’s why it was on the door handle, he put it there after handling a leaky package, the package was repacked and passed on.

  • Tony G

    So, if Porton Down developed VX how is it that the UK state is not being blamed for poisoning the brother of Kim Jong Un? Surely exactly the same conditions pertain. A nerve agent ‘of a type developed by UK Government laboratory Porton Down’ was used. Why is the UK not in the frame for that nefarious deed? This whole episode has had the smell of week old fish from the get-go.

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