Westminster today: Theresa May promises 'appropriate' response if Russia is behind Sergei Skripal poisoning - as it happened

Prime Minister speaks after Home Secretary gives statement in House of Commons on Salisbury poisoning case

Ministers said Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, remain in a 'very serious condition' (EPA)

Theresa May has promised an 'appropriate' response if Russia is found to be responsible for the poisoning of a former Russian spy and his daughter.

Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, were poisoned in Salisbury on Sunday with a chemical that investigators have confirmed was a form of nerve agent.

The Government is facing growing calls to take tough action against Russia if it becomes clear that Moscow was involved in the apparent assassination attempt.

MPs also held a debate to mark International Women's Day. Labour MP Jess Phillips read out the names of all the women killed by men in the last year.

Elsewhere, Liam Fox and John McDonnell delivered speeches at the British Chambers of Commerce annual conference.

As it happened...

Key Points

Amber Rudd updates MPs on Russian spy poisoning investigation

[8 March 2018 12:31 · Kristin Hugo]

John Bercow, the House of Commons Speaker, has just suggested Google and YouTube could be guilty of contempt of Parliament.

He was responding to a point of order from Labour MP Yvette Cooper on the issue of "propaganda videos" posted on YouTube by proscribed far-right organisation National Action.

Ms Cooper said the Home Affairs Committee, which she chairs, had raised the issue with YouTube and its parent company Google seven times. 

She said the companies had admitted the videos were illegal and promised they would be taken down and steps taken to stop them reappearing. However, a number of videos remain online.

Ms Cooper said:

"This is one of the richest companies in the world and is failing to meet its basic responsibilities to tackle extremism and protect public safety in this country."

Mr Bercow expressed "intense concern" over the fact the videos remain online and called National Action a "despicable, facist, neo-Nazi organisation".

He said:

"If those commitments have been made, they must be honoured.

"We would not want a situation to arise in which [Ms Cooper] felt it necessary to write to me alleging a contempt of the House, although that is of course a recourse open to her if people do not comply and do not honour their undertakings. We very much hope that will happen very, very soon." 

Responding, Home Secretary Amber Rudd said internet companies have made "good progress" in taking down Islamist videos but need to make "much more effort" to tackle propaganda posted by far-right groups. 

[8 March 2018 12:32 · Kristin Hugo]

John McDonnell is now speaking at the British Chambers of Commerce Conference. 

[8 March 2018 13:06 · Kristin Hugo]

The Government has said it will publish internal reviews of universal credit. Ministers had initially refused to release the documents but, after being forced to disclose them to a Commons committee, have now said they will be made publicly available. 

[8 March 2018 13:21 · Kristin Hugo]

[8 March 2018 13:22 · Kristin Hugo]

Our Indy Voices team have asked 24 leading women for their advice to others on International Women's Day. Have a read of the responses here:

[8 March 2018 13:38 · Kristin Hugo]

Remain-supporting Tory MPs are asking why the Brexit impact analysis that has now been published was previously guarded so closely...

[8 March 2018 13:39 · Kristin Hugo]

This is from the Press Association: 

Former prime minister Tony Blair has been named as the first British recipient of an award for leadership in memory of Abraham Lincoln.

The Lincoln Leadership Prize honours figures who show "great strength of character, individual conscience and unwavering commitment to the defining principles of democracy" in a lifetime of service in the spirit of the 16th president of the United States.

Naming Mr Blair as its 2018 winner, the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Foundation cited his stewardship of the Northern Ireland peace process, introduction of the National Minimum Wage and civil partnerships, "revitalisation" of public services including health and education, improvements to maternity rights, success in lifting people out of poverty and equality and human rights legislation.

[8 March 2018 14:11 · Kristin Hugo]

Theresa May has just spoken to ITV News about the Russian spy poisoning case. She said:

"First of all the police are still investigating, obviously, we need to let the police have the space and time to conduct their investigating so that we get the best possible evidence of what has happened in this particular case.

"Of course if action needs to be taken then the Government will do that. We'll do that properly, at the right time, and on the basis on the best evidence."

Asked how the UK would respond if it is found that Russia was behind the incident, the Prime Minister said:

 "We will do what is appropriate, we will do what is right, if it is proved to be the case that this is state-sponsored.

"But let's give the police the time and space to actually conduct their investigation."

[8 March 2018 14:50 · Kristin Hugo]

MPs are currently holding a debate to mark International Women's Day. The Commons fell silent as Labour's Jess Phillips read out the names of every woman killed by her partner in the last year. We'll have the video of that for you soon.

[8 March 2018 15:29 · Kristin Hugo]

Here's a bit more on Jess Phillips' speech during the House of Commons' International Women's Day debate:

The Labour MP spent several minutes listing the names of more than 100 women killed by a man in the last year.

Ms Phillips said:

"Violence against women and girls is an epidemic; if as many people died every week at a sporting event or because they had a specific job, there would be a national outcry.

"These women deserve the same. We must all do better to hear their stories and to the end the culture of male violence that killed them."

The Birmingham Yardley MP paid tribute to Karen Ingala Smith and the Counting Dead Women project for assisting her with the list.

She said:

"Women like Karen face backlash for undertaking such research and after today I will be told that I don't care about men who died, which is obviously ridiculous and it is never said to those who stand up and honour the men of this country.

"I am grateful that Karen Ingala Smith ignores this and remains on the side of the women who died, not the forces who want to ignore it."