FILE PHOTO: Russian President Vladimir Putin
The Kremlin said on Tuesday that former British foreign minister Boris Johnson's contribution to UK-Russia relations was very modest and that Moscow was now waiting for Britain to have a political epiphany.
The poisoning of a former Russian spy and his daughter in the English city of Salisbury in March has caused a crisis in relations between Moscow and London, and Britain's top counter-terrorism officer has said a British woman, Dawn Sturgess, died on Sunday after being poisoned by the same nerve agent.
Russia denies British accusations of involvement and Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday that Moscow hoped reason would now prevail.
"We expect, let's say, Britain to have a political epiphany on this topic," Peskov told reporters. "Sooner or later we expect some reasonable explanations or arguments about the recent situation in Salisbury and the situation that followed it."
British Prime Minister Theresa May holds a meeting of her cabinet on Tuesday, a day after her government was thrown into turmoil when two senior ministers quit in protest at her plans for trade ties with the European Union after Brexit.Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and Brexit minister David Davis resigned within hours of each other, denouncing a plan that the cabinet had only agreed on Friday, and fuelling speculation that May could face a leadership challenge.China's Xi pledges $20 bln in loans to revive Middle EastHowever, at a meeting with her Conservative Party lawmakers, she was cheered and applauded by many as she warned them that internal squabbling could pave the way for socialist opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn to take power instead.After the meeting, senior lawmakers said they did not expect the prime minister to face a vote of no confidence, although some Conservatives were still saying that she should go.UK PM May appoints Jeremy Hunt as new foreign ministerMay's proposals for a future EU relationship after Britain departs from the bloc next March had taken two-years of internal government wrangling to agree, but within 48 hours Johnson and Davis had resigned saying they could not back the plans. Three junior ministers also quit their posts."Brexit should be about opportunity and hope," Johnson said in a scathing resignation letter that was echoed in headlines in a number of Britain's national newspapers. "That dream is dying, suffocated by needless self-doubt."May, having finally signalled her vision for Brexit, spent two hours in parliament defiantly defending the plans and called for Brussels to engage fully or risk the damaging prospect of Britain leaving the bloc with no deal in place."I've listened to every possible idea and every possible version of Brexit. This is the right Brexit," she said.May's personal authority was badly damaged after she called a snap election last year to strengthen her hand in Brexit talks but instead she lost her parliamentary majority meaning she has to rely on a small Northern Irish party to govern.While other senior ministers rallied round her after the resignations which left Westminster reeling on Monday, rumblings of discontent among rank and file lawmakers remained.The Sun, Britain's biggest-selling newspaper, said there had been "blunder after blunder" by May."Now there is chaos," the paper said in its editorial. "Brussels must not mistakenly conclude, as EU Council chief Donald Tusk hinted, that one more push will destroy Brexit. Brexit must and will happen."
UK PM May seeks unity amid chaos over Brexit plans
British Prime Minister Theresa May appointed Jeremy Hunt as foreign minister on Monday after predecessor Boris Johnson resigned in protest at the government's plans for a close trading relationship with the European Union.The appointment of Hunt, the long-serving health minister, sees a close May ally replace the maverick Johnson, and could alter the Brexit balance of May's top ministerial team.While Johnson was one of the most high-profile Brexit campaigners, Hunt backed "Remain" during the 2016 referendum campaign.Hunt told LBC Radio in October 2017, however, that he had changed his mind on the issue, in part because of what he said was disappointing "arrogance" in the EU's behaviour during negotiations.Last month, Hunt said it was inappropriate for businesses like Airbus to issue warnings about moving jobs because of Brexit and that they should instead be getting behind May in her push for a good deal on leaving the EU."Huge honour to be appointed Foreign Secretary at this critical moment in our country’s history," he said in a tweet after his appointment."Time to back our PM to get a great Brexit deal - it's now or never..."Hunt, 51, had served as health minister for more than 5-1/2 years, the longest term of any in the history of the state-funded National Health Service, weathering doctors' strikes, public discontent with funding levels and other challenges.Hunt said it was a "massive wrench" for him to leave the department, adding: "I know some staff haven’t found me the easiest Health Sec".Matt Hancock replaced Hunt as health secretary, while Attorney General Jeremy Wright was appointed as minister of digital culture, media and sport, Hancock's old job.May's office said Geoffrey Cox would be the new attorney general.
UK PM May appoints Jeremy Hunt as new foreign minister
Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May was a "little surprised" by Boris Johnson's resignation as foreign minister, after he had agreed to her new Brexit plan last week, she said in a letter to Johnson on Monday.Johnson quit on Monday over Prime Minister Theresa May's plan for Brexit, warning in his resignation letter to May that the United Kingdom would end up like a colony of the European Union after Brexit.UK PM May appoints Jeremy Hunt as new foreign minister"I am sorry - and a little surprised - to receive (the letter) after the productive discussions we had at Chequers on Friday, and the comprehensive and detailed proposal which we agreed as a cabinet," May said in her reply to Johnson."If you are not able to provide the support we need to secure this deal in the interests of the United Kingdom, it is right you should step down."
UK PM a 'little surprised' by Johnson resignation