Putin is thought to be testing how isolated Britain is after Brexit and he won't like the results

[Denzil_DC]

1. That's one take.

I'm quite open to the idea that Putin, or perhaps some rogue cut-out acting on Russia's behalf, is behind this attack, but it seems an unduly unsubtle, provocative and indiscriminate method (which might bear out the argument in the OP) given the other ways they've used to exact revenge in the past.

Like many others, I'd like to see as much concrete evidence as possible before escalating the situation further - although they signed up to the EU leaders' joint statement, the French had been hanging back on that basis, for instance.

The added irony is the way the Tories have sucked up to and encouraged Russian oligarchs to tuck away their money in property etc. in London and been only too happy to meet with and take cash from them - which would become more difficult if the UK stayed in the EU beyond January 2019, when the new tax and anti-money laundering directives come into force (which might be an argument against the OP).

It does, though, as the article says, highlight who our main allies in the world are in times of crisis at the moment. How stupid to be seeking to distance ourselves from them, and turning to Trump's America, MAGA cap in hand, looking for trade deals and help.